Bird Guide

Welcome Swallow vs White-throated Swallow

Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena)

Welcome Swallow

Hirundo neoxena

Tiny15 gWetland

The welcome swallow is a small fast-flying bird. Its flying style is circular in pattern with swift darting motions. It has graceful shape and flight, moreover it often flies singly, in couples or in clusters. The welcome swallow is metallic blue-black above, light grey below on the breast and belly, and rusty on the forehead, throat and upper breast. It has a long forked tail, with a row of white spots on the individual feathers. These birds are about 15 cm (5.9 in) long, including the outer tail feathers which are slightly shorter in the female. The welcome swallow's weight is about 9-20g.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: (c) Shane Walker, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Shane Walker · cc-by
White-throated Swallow (Hirundo albigularis)

White-throated Swallow

Hirundo albigularis

Small22 gGrassland

The white-throated swallow is 14–17 cm long. It has glossy dark blue upperparts and a bright chestnut crown. A dark blue-black breast band separates the white throat from the greyish white underparts and underwing coverts. The upper wings, underwing flight feathers and forked tail are blackish-blue, but the undertail has white patches near the feather tips. The white throat and blackish breast band are distinctions from similar Hirundo species. The outer feathers are slightly longer in the male than the female.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Diego Rubolini · CC BY 4.0

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Welcome Swallow and White-throated Swallow.