Conservation Status
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Distribution
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It breeds in South Africa, west Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Malawi, north-east Zambia, south-western Tanzania, west Mozambique, and south-east DR Congo. It is a non-breeding visitor to north-east DR Congo, south Uganda and west Kenya.
Look Alikes
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Black Sawwing Psalidoprocne holomelas is matt black, not iridescent, with shorter, less deeply forked tail.
Migration
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Morphology
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Small swallow with very long outer tail feathers. Appears all-black, but in sunlight is deep, metallic blue. Female and juvenile have shorter outer tail feathers.
Size
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Biology
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The blue swallow arrives on the breeding range at the end of September and constructs cup-shaped nests from mud and grass on the inside of sinkholes cavities, aardvark burrows and old mine shafts. The breeding system of the blue swallow is not well understood although co-operative breeding has been widely recorded in this species. The nests are lined with fine grass, animal hair and white feathers. Normally, three white eggs are laid. They are incubated by the female for 14 days, and the chicks are fed for approximately 22 days until they fledge. Once fledged, the young spend the next couple of days around the nest site before disappearing. Most blue swallows will nest for a second time before returning to the over-wintering grounds in April (2).
Blue swallows feed on small, soft-bodied flies and other arthropods, catching them on the wing (2).
Conservation
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The blue swallow breeds within national parks in Malawi, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Swaziland (7), and an international species conservation action plan is in place (8). However, without the official intervention of government agencies and the expansion of the network of formal protected areas, the future of this species hangs in the balance (5).
Description
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The magnificent blue swallow is a relatively easily identifiable species as the adult birds have a highly lustrous dark metallic steel-blue appearance with long tail streamers, which are particularly noticeable in males. White feathers are visible on the rump and flanks when the birds are preening and especially during courtship. In poor light, blue swallows appear almost black and therefore can be mistaken for black sawwing swallows (Psalidoprogne holomelas) which occur throughout the breeding range of the blue swallow (5) (7). Young blue swallows start life a brownish-grey, acquiring their blue colour as they mature (5). This species has a musical 'bee-bee-bee-bee' call when in flight (7).
Habitat
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In the breeding range, the blue swallow inhabits areas of rolling montane grasslands where rainfall is high (7). In the non-breeding range, this species prefers open grassland with very large wetlands (5) (7).
Range
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The blue swallow migrates seasonally within the African continent, breeding in South Africa, west Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Malawi, northeast Zambia, southwestern Tanzania, west Mozambique and southeast Democratic Republic of Congo, and wintering in northeast Democratic Republic of Congo, south Uganda and west Kenya (7). In 2002 there were estimated to be around 1,500 pairs remaining (8).
Status
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The blue swallow is classified globally as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List 2007 (1), although this classification is currently under review, and as Critically Endangered in South Africa (5). It is also listed on Appendices I and II of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS or Bonn Convention) (6).
Threats
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The grassland habitat of the blue swallow is being diminished at an unprecedented rate. The main causes of this habitat loss are afforestation, human settlement, agricultural expansion, over-grazing by livestock, and the invasion of alien plants. In the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal, the grassland habitat of the blue swallow declined by 46 per cent between 1981 and 2000 (3).
Blue swallow
provided by wikipedia EN
The blue swallow (Hirundo atrocaerulea) is a small bird within the swallow family which is in the order Passeriformes. Swallows are somewhat similar in habits and appearance to other aerial insectivores, such as the martins (also a passerine) and the swifts (order Apodiformes). It breeds in the Afromontane (from South Africa to Tanzania), wintering north of Lake Victoria.
This bird breeds in montane grassland, preferring high rainfall, undulating areas. In winter it prefers open grassland, with bushes and trees. The nest is usually attached to the roof or side of a hole in the ground.[2]
Description
This species is a small swallow at 18–25 centimetres (7.1–9.8 in). The adult birds have a highly lustrous dark metallic steel-blue appearance with long tail streamers, which are particularly noticeable in males. White feathers are visible on the rump and flanks when the birds are preening and especially during courtship. In poor light, blue swallows appear almost black and therefore can be mistaken for black saw-wing swallows (Psalidoprocne spp.) which occur throughout its breeding range. Young blue swallows start life a brownish-grey, acquiring their blue colour as they mature. This species has a musical "bee-bee-bee-bee" call when in flight.[3]
Biology
Blue swallows feed on small, soft-bodied flies and other arthropods, catching them on the wing.[4]
The blue swallow arrives on the breeding range at the end of September and constructs cup-shaped nests from mud and grass on the inside of sinkhole cavities, aardvark burrows and old mine shafts. The breeding system of the blue swallow is not well understood although co-operative breeding has been widely recorded in this species. The nests are lined with fine grass, animal hair and white feathers. Normally, three white eggs are laid. They are incubated by the female for 14 days, and the chicks are fed for approximately 22 days until they fledge. Once fledged, the young spend the next couple of days around the nest site before disappearing. Most blue swallows will rear a second brood before returning to the over-wintering grounds in April.[4]
Threats
This species is classified as Vulnerable due to destruction of its habitat at both its breeding and wintering sites. The current population is estimated at 1,500-4,000 and decreasing.[1]
References
This article incorporates text from the ARKive fact-file "Blue swallow" under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License and the GFDL.
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Blue swallow: Brief Summary
provided by wikipedia EN
The blue swallow (Hirundo atrocaerulea) is a small bird within the swallow family which is in the order Passeriformes. Swallows are somewhat similar in habits and appearance to other aerial insectivores, such as the martins (also a passerine) and the swifts (order Apodiformes). It breeds in the Afromontane (from South Africa to Tanzania), wintering north of Lake Victoria.
This bird breeds in montane grassland, preferring high rainfall, undulating areas. In winter it prefers open grassland, with bushes and trees. The nest is usually attached to the roof or side of a hole in the ground.
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