2011 Canada 25 Cents Barn Swallow Birds of Canada Coloured Specimen Coin

• Country:Canada
• Collection:BaseMetal Commemorative 25cents
• Metal:Base Metal
• Year:2011
• Denomination:25 Cents
• Finish:Complete
• Mintage:14000
• Product type:Coin

A Traveller's Homecoming Signals the Return of Spring
? This coloured coin showcases a Barn Swallow perched on its nest feeding her babies.

An agile, dancing flock of cinnamon-throated, forked-tailed birds has marked spring's arrival for time immemorial. Watching the Barn Swallow swoop and soar as it feeds in mid-air is to witness a study in maneuverability: they even drink and bathe in mid-flight by skimming and dipping over lakes and rivers.
This resourceful bird shuns cities, but likes to nest in man-made structures near meadows and wetlands, which give it plentiful access to its main dietary staple: flying insects. Nest-building can take the two birds up to fifteen 14-hour days to complete. The Barn Swallow's cup-shaped nests are usually constructed of mud pellets on high vertical or horizontal structures. These nests offer a relatively safe haven for the couple's four or five spotted white eggs. Once the young birds are fledged, and the days begin to shorten, it is time for the swallow to fly south to warmer climates for winter, before returning in several months with spring in tow.

Face Value: 25 cents
Mintage: 14,000
Composition: Nickel plated steel
Diameter (mm): 35
Edge: Plain
Finish: Specimen
Certificate: Serialized
Artist: Arnold Nogy