Bird Guide

Welcome Swallow vs Wire-tailed 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
Wire-tailed Swallow (Hirundo smithii)

Wire-tailed Swallow

Hirundo smithii

Tiny12 gShrubland

The wire-tailed swallow is a small swallow, measuring 18 cm (7.1 in) in length. It has bright blue upperparts, bright white underparts and a chestnut cap. Immature birds lack tail wires, and have dull brown (rather than chestnut) caps. The species is named for the very long filamentous outermost tail feathers, which trail behind like two wires. The sexes are similar in appearance, but the female has shorter "wires". Juveniles have a brown crown, back and tail. The Asian form, H. s. filifera, is larger and longer-tailed than the abundant African H. s. smithii.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Ben Costamagna · CC BY 4.0

Learn this pair in BeakBrain

Photo and call practice, free in any browser.

Play BeakBrain

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