White-throated swallow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids White-throated swallow |
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|---|---|
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| In Pilanesberg NP, South Africa | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Hirundo
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| Species: |
albigularis
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| approximate range
austral winter austral summer |
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The white-throated swallow (Hirundo albigularis) is a small, speedy bird that belongs to the swallow family. You can find these common birds in southern Africa. They've actually become more common because of new places to build nests, like bridges and dams!
Contents
What Does the White-Throated Swallow Look Like?
The white-throated swallow is about 14 to 17 centimeters (about 5.5 to 6.7 inches) long. It has shiny dark blue feathers on its back and a bright reddish-brown cap on its head.
A dark blue-black band crosses its chest. This band separates its white throat from its grayish-white belly and the feathers under its wings. Its upper wings, flight feathers, and forked tail are blackish-blue. However, the feathers under its tail have white spots near their tips.
The white throat and dark chest band help tell this swallow apart from other similar Hirundo species. Male swallows usually have slightly longer outer tail feathers than females. Young swallows are not as brightly colored as adults. Their outer tail feathers are shorter, and their head cap is browner. Their call sounds like a mix of musical chirps and warbles.
Where Do White-Throated Swallows Live?
These swallows make their homes in southern Africa. They breed in countries from Angola and Zambia all the way south to the Cape in South Africa.
Most white-throated swallows are migratory. This means they travel to different places depending on the season. During the colder months (austral winter), they fly north to Angola, Zambia, and southern Zaire.
These birds prefer open areas and grasslands, especially in highlands near water. You will often see them around things built by humans, like buildings or bridges.
How Do White-Throated Swallows Behave?
What Do White-Throated Swallows Eat?
White-throated swallows mainly eat flying insects. They catch their food while flying, using a fast, twisting flight, much like a barn swallow.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
The white-throated swallow builds a nest shaped like a bowl. It uses mud and lines the inside with soft grass or hair. These nests are usually built near or over water. You can find them on ledges under rocky overhangs or on human-made structures. This includes buildings, dam walls, culverts (tunnels for water), or bridges. They often prefer buildings that are not lived in by people. The same nest might be used again for new babies or in future years.
A typical nest has three white eggs with brown and blue spots. The female swallow sits on the eggs to keep them warm for about 15 to 16 days until they hatch. After the chicks hatch, both parents work together to feed them.
The young birds are ready to fly after about 20 to 21 days. Even after their first flight, they will often return to the nest to sleep for a few more days. If a young bird accidentally falls from the nest, it can swim a short distance to safety!
Gallery
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Nest in a natural setting -
Nest under a bridge -
Nest against a thatch roof -
Egg -
Parent feeding fledgling
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