The eastern red-rumped swallow is a small passerine bird in the swallow family Hirundinidae. It is found in open, often hilly, areas with clearings and cultivation across Southeast Asia to north-eastern India and Taiwan.
Region
East and Southeast Asia
Typical Environment
Breeds from northeastern India and the Himalayan foothills across Southeast Asia to Taiwan, the Ryukyu Islands, and parts of eastern China and Japan. Prefers open and lightly wooded landscapes, including farmland, grasslands, and hilly terrain with scattered trees. Common around human structures such as culverts, bridges, and buildings that provide sheltered ledges for nesting. In the non-breeding season it ranges south into tropical lowlands, often near wetlands and rice paddies.
Altitude Range
0–2500 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The eastern red-rumped swallow is a small, agile aerial insectivore noted for its rufous rump and finely streaked underparts. It builds neat, bottle-shaped mud nests under cliffs, bridges, and building eaves, often reusing and repairing them year after year. Pairs are typically monogamous, and small loose colonies may form at good nesting sites.
Eastern red-rumped swallow
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
agile flier with quick wingbeats and frequent glides
Social Behavior
Often seen in small groups, especially near feeding and nesting areas. Typically monogamous, with both sexes collecting mud and vegetation to build a bottle-shaped nest with a narrow entrance tunnel. Nests may be solitary or in loose colonies on suitable structures. Both parents incubate and feed the young.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
Soft, twittering warbles and rapid chip notes delivered in short series during flight or from a perch. Calls are high, liquid, and conversational, often exchanged among foraging birds near colonies.
