Red-breasted swallow facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Red-breasted swallow
In Kruger NP, Mpumalanga, South Africa
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Hirundinidae
Genus:	Cecropis
Species:	C. semirufa
Binomial name
Cecropis semirufa (Sundevall, 1850)
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Synonyms
Hirundo semirufa

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The red-breasted swallow (Cecropis semirufa), also known as the rufous-chested swallow, is a type of bird in the swallow family. These birds live in Sub-Saharan Africa. They usually stay in tropical rainforests when it's rainy.

What Does the Red-breasted Swallow Look Like?

A pair near their nest in Kruger NP, South Africa

Eggs of Cecropis semirufa - MHNT

The red-breasted swallow looks a lot like the mosque swallow. However, it is a bit smaller and has longer tail feathers. Both birds have a blue head and back. Their lower back (rump) and belly are a reddish-brown color.

A key difference is that the dark blue color on the red-breasted swallow's head goes below its eye. Also, it does not have any white under its wings. Young red-breasted swallows look similar to the red-rumped swallow. But, young red-breasted swallows have blue on the side of their head, not dull red.

Where Do Red-breasted Swallows Live and Travel?

You can find the red-breasted swallow across most of Africa south of the Sahara Desert. Their home range stretches from the Eastern Cape in the south. It goes north to parts of Namibia and southern Angola in the west. In the east, it reaches Mozambique.

There's also a separate group of these birds. They live from Senegal south to northern Angola. This group also extends east to Uganda, southwestern Kenya, and northwestern Tanzania.

Do Red-breasted Swallows Migrate?

Most red-breasted swallows travel to different places during the year. In southern Africa, they visit during the summer. They build nests and raise their young between July and March. Most of these birds then fly to areas closer to the equator in Africa. A few might stay all year. In some places, like southeastern Nigeria to Gabon, they seem to live there all the time. But mostly, they visit northern areas during the rainy season to breed.

What Kind of Home Do Red-breasted Swallows Prefer?

The red-breasted swallow likes dry, open areas. If an area has more trees, you might find the similar mosque swallow instead.

These birds build a special nest made of mud. It's shaped like a closed ball with a long, tube-like entrance. They often build these nests in hidden spots. This could be inside a hole or under bridges and other structures. They also use old buildings, holes in trees, or caves. Building railway bridges and similar structures has actually helped these birds find more places to nest!

Life and Habits of the Red-breasted Swallow

Red-breasted swallows usually like to be by themselves. Pairs rarely nest close to other pairs. A typical nest will have three eggs.

These birds mostly eat insects. They catch almost all their food while flying in the air. They rarely land on the ground. Instead, they prefer to rest on wires or small branches. Their flight is often slow and seems to float.

Sometimes, other birds try to take over their nests. Like their relatives, the red-rumped and mosque swallows, the nests of red-breasted swallows are often taken by the white-rumped swift.

Different Types of Red-breasted Swallows

There are two main types, or subspecies, of the red-breasted swallow.

• Cecropis semirufa gordoni is a bit smaller and has slightly duller colors. You can find this type in the northern part of where the species lives.
• Cecropis semirufa semirufa is the type found in southern Africa.

Birds that breed in eastern Africa are a mix of these two types. Some scientists think they might be a third subspecies called Cecropis semirufa neumanni.