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Overview
Blue swallow

Blue swallow

Wikipedia

The blue swallow is a small bird within the swallow family which is in the order Passeriformes. Swallows are somewhat similar in habits and appearance to other aerial insectivores, such as the martins and the swifts. It breeds in the Afromontane, wintering north of Lake Victoria. This bird breeds in montane grassland, preferring high rainfall, undulating areas. In winter it prefers open grassland, with bushes and trees. The nest is usually attached to the roof or side of a hole in the ground.

Distribution

Region

Eastern and Southern Africa (Afromontane)

Typical Environment

This species breeds in high-rainfall montane and upland grasslands with scattered shrubs and trees, often near wetlands and dolomitic sinkholes. During the non-breeding season it winters farther north in East-Central Africa, favoring open grasslands and lightly wooded areas north of Lake Victoria. It selects landscapes with extensive open airspace for aerial foraging and nearby cavities for nesting. Nests are typically placed inside holes, on ledges, or attached to the roof or side of earthen cavities and culverts. It avoids densely forested areas and heavily urbanized zones.

Altitude Range

1000–2400 m

Climate Zone

Highland

Characteristics

Size14–17 cm
Wing Span30–34 cm
Male Weight0.018 kg
Female Weight0.016 kg
Life Expectancy6 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 1/5

Useful to know

The Blue Swallow is a striking, uniformly glossy steel-blue swallow with extremely long, narrow tail streamers in the male. It breeds in Afromontane grasslands and often nests on the walls or roofs of sinkholes, culverts, and natural cavities in the ground. The species is threatened by loss and fragmentation of montane grasslands through agriculture, plantation forestry, and wetland drainage. Conservation efforts focus on protecting high-altitude grasslands and safeguarding traditional nesting sites.

Gallery

Bird photo
Bird photo

Behaviour

Temperament

active aerial forager; loosely social outside breeding but territorial near nests

Flight Pattern

agile aerialist with swift, buoyant flight and quick, shallow wingbeats interspersed with glides

Social Behavior

Breeds solitarily or in small, loose colonies with pairs spaced across suitable grassland. The nest is a cup of mud and plant fibers attached to the roof or walls of ground cavities, sinkholes, or culverts. Both adults share incubation and chick-rearing duties. Outside the breeding season, birds may roost communally and forage in small groups.

Migratory Pattern

Seasonal migrant

Song Description

Soft, twittering warbles and dry chips given in flight and near the nest. Calls are less musical than some congeners but include rapid trills and chatters during aerial chases and courtship.

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