Hill swallow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hill swallow |
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|---|---|
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| In the hills of southern India | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Hirundo
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| Species: |
domicola
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The hill swallow (Hirundo domicola) is a small bird from the swallow family. It lives in southern India and Sri Lanka. These birds usually stay in one place, but some might move a little during different seasons.
You can often find hill swallows near coasts. However, they are now starting to live in forests higher up in the mountains too. This bird was once thought to be a type of Pacific swallow.
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About the Hill Swallow
The hill swallow is a small bird, about 13 centimeters (5 inches) long. It has a blue back and brownish wings and tail. Its face and throat are red, and its belly is a dusky (darkish) color.
This swallow looks a bit different from the barn swallow and the welcome swallow. The hill swallow has a shorter tail that is not as deeply forked (split) at the end.
Hill Swallow Behaviour
Reproduction and Nests
The hill swallow builds a neat, cup-shaped nest. It uses mud pellets that it gathers with its beak. These nests are often found under cliff ledges. They also build nests on human-made places like buildings, bridges, or tunnels.
The inside of the nest is lined with soft materials. A female hill swallow usually lays up to four eggs. Scientists have studied how these birds raise their young in places like Silent Valley National Park in Kerala.
What Hill Swallows Eat
Like other swallows and swifts, the hill swallow is an aerial insectivore. This means it catches and eats insects while flying. It is a very fast flyer. Hill swallows mostly eat flies and other small insects they find in the air.
