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Tahiti Swallow

Hirundo tahitica

Least Concern · IUCN Red List

LCLeast ConcernInvertebratesCoastalCup nestSmall · 18 g
Tahiti Swallow (Hirundo tahitica), photo 1
Photo: Ian Dugdale (ian_dugdale) · CC BY 4.0
Tahiti Swallow (Hirundo tahitica), photo 2
Photo: William Stephens (william_stephens) · CC BY 4.0
Tahiti Swallow (Hirundo tahitica), photo 3
Photo: pittafisher · CC BY 4.0
Tahiti Swallow (Hirundo tahitica), photo 4
Photo: Chrissy McClarren and Andy Reago (wildreturn) · CC0
Tahiti Swallow (Hirundo tahitica), photo 5
Photo: Jan Ebr & Ivana Ebrová (opisska) · CC BY 4.0
Tahiti Swallow (Hirundo tahitica), photo 6
Photo: Cheongweei Gan (gancw1) · CC BY 4.0
Tahiti Swallow (Hirundo tahitica), photo 7
Photo: Johnny Wee · CC BY 2.0
Tahiti Swallow (Hirundo tahitica), photo 8
Photo: Cricket Raspet · CC BY 4.0
Tahiti Swallow (Hirundo tahitica), photo 9
Photo: Ian Dugdale (ian_dugdale) · CC BY 4.0

ID tip

This species is a small swallow at 13 cm (5.1 in) in length. It has a blue-black back and crown with browner wings and tail, a red face and throat, and dusky underparts. It differs from the barn swallow and the closely related welcome swallow in its shorter and less forked tail.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Tahiti Swallow

One bar for each month, and every month is filled: this bird is recorded here in all twelve. The wide bar is January, the month with the most records.

Where to see the Tahiti Swallow

Regular rangeRare visitor

The map shades 10 countries with regular records, and 3 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

Taiwan French Polynesia Malaysia Singapore Thailand Indonesia Philippines Fiji Vietnam Papua New Guinea

Recorded as a rare visitor in Australia, India, Japan.

About the Tahiti Swallow

The Tahiti swallow is a small passerine bird in the swallow family Hirundinidae. It is found on the islands of Moorea and Tahiti in French Polynesia. It was formerly considered to be conspecific with the Pacific swallow.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Ethiopian Swallow (Hirundo aethiopica) Ethiopian SwallowHirundo aethiopicaThe Ethiopian swallow is a species of bird in the family Hirundinidae. Angola Swallow (Hirundo angolensis) Angola SwallowHirundo angolensisThey measure 15 cm and weigh 16 to 19 g. Hill Swallow (Hirundo domicola) Hill SwallowHirundo domicolaThis species is a small swallow at 13 cm (5.1 in).

Side by side: Tahiti Swallow vs White-throated Swallow · Pearl-breasted Swallow vs Tahiti Swallow · Angola Swallow vs Tahiti Swallow

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