White-tailed Swallow
Hirundo megaensis
The White-tailed Swallow (Hirundo megaensis) is a legendary swallow found only in Ethiopia, weighing about 11 g. The white-tailed swallow is a small swallow belonging to the family Hirundinidae and is endemic to Oromia, Ethiopia.
About the White-tailed Swallow
The white-tailed swallow is a small swallow belonging to the family Hirundinidae and is endemic to Oromia, Ethiopia. It is commonly referred to as "Benson's swallow" after the ornithologist Constantine Walter Benson, who described the species. This small bird is classified as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), as there is a progressive declination of the species which now consists of less than 10,000 adult individuals worldwide. It has a surprisingly small range for a swallow, as it is wholly dependent on a cooler "bubble" surrounding its small range, likely for proper breeding success. It is one of the most threatened bird species by climate…
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The white-tailed swallow is a small bird that measures about 13 cm (5.1 in) in length. It is named for its distinct white underbelly which runs from the throat to the tail. The top of the bird's body, including its head, wings, and back, is mostly blue. The tail is slightly forked. It consists of short, white feathers and long, darker feathers on the edges, called rectrices, that are used for greater balance and steering while in flight. The white-tailed swallow is a sexually dimorphic bird; coloration and tail length differ between male and female.
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, October, November, December, with peak activity in December. It is a winter visitor species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a White-tailed Swallow?
- The white-tailed swallow is a small bird that measures about 13 cm (5.1 in) in length. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a White-tailed Swallow?
- The White-tailed Swallow is a tiny sized bird weighing about 11 g.
- Where can you see a White-tailed Swallow?
- The White-tailed Swallow is endemic to Ethiopia, which is the only country where it occurs.
- What birds look similar to a White-tailed Swallow?
- The White-tailed Swallow is most easily confused with the Black-and-rufous Swallow, the Blue Swallow and the Pied-winged Swallow.
- Is the White-tailed Swallow endangered?
- The White-tailed Swallow is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the White-tailed Swallow for real
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