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ForestCavity nestSmall · 17 g
ID tip
A small swallow, the golden swallow measures, on average, 12 cm (4.7 in). The adult of the nominate subspecies' upperparts, including the sides of the head, the cheek, and the chin, are an iridescent bronze. The ear coverts and lores are duller, and the forehead, crown, and nape are more green. This contrasts with the golden or coppery-bronze colouring of the mantle, shoulders, back, rump, and uppertail-coverts. The lesser and median-coverts are more coppery, with the greater and primary wing-coverts being more green and dusky. The edges of the greater coverts and tertials are more golden.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
When to see the Golden Swallow
One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 8 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is February, the month with the most records.
Where to see the Golden Swallow
The map shades 2 countries with regular records. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.
About the Golden Swallow
The golden swallow is a swallow endemic to the Caribbean island of Hispaniola and was once native to Jamaica, but is now extirpated there. It is restricted to isolated montane forests that primarily consist of the Hispaniolan pine. This species is considered to be a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The exact cause of its extirpation from Jamaica is unknown, but likely factors include predation by introduced mammals and habitat loss, although the habitat loss theory is not supported by much evidence. The last sighting of the nominate subspecies was in Hardwar Gap, with three birds being seen on 8 June 1989.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Easily confused with
Bahama SwallowTachycineta cyaneoviridisThis glossy Tachycineta swallow has a green head and back, blue upper wings, a black tail and wingtips, and a white belly and chin.
Tumbes SwallowTachycineta stolzmanniThe Tumbes swallow is 11.5 to 12 cm (4.5 to 4.7 in) long and weighs about 11 g (0.39 oz).
White-rumped SwallowTachycineta leucorrhoaThe white-rumped swallow measures 13 centimetres (5.1 in) in length and weighs 17–21 grams (0.60–0.74 oz).
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