White-throated Swallow
Hirundo albigularis
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyHirundinidae (Swallows and Martins)
- GenusHirundo (Typical Swallows)
- SpeciesHirundo albigularis (White-throated Swallow)
About the White-throated Swallow
The white-throated swallow (Hirundo albigularis) is a small bird in the swallow family. It is a common species, found in southern Africa, which has benefited from the increased nesting opportunities presented by the construction of bridges and dams.
The white-throated swallow is 14–17 cm long. It has glossy dark blue upperparts and a bright chestnut crown. A dark blue-black breast band separates the white throat from the greyish white underparts and underwing coverts. The upper wings, underwing flight feathers and forked tail are blackish-blue, but the undertail has white patches near the feather tips. The white throat and blackish breast band are distinctions from similar Hirundo species. The outer feathers are slightly longer in the male than the female. Juveniles are duller than the adult, with shorter outer tail feathers and a browner crown. The call is a mix of warbles and twitters.
The swallow breeds in southern Africa from Angola and Zambia southwards to the Cape in South Africa. It is mainly migratory, wintering in Angola, Zambia and southern Zaire. This is a bird of open country and grassland, with a preference for highlands... Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Golden Gate Highlands National Park
Barn Swallow
Hirundo rustica
Rock Martin
Ptyonoprogne fuligula
Greater Striped-Swallow
Cecropis cucullata
Banded Martin
Riparia cincta
South African Swallow
Petrochelidon spilodera
Plain Martin
Riparia paludicola
Lesser Striped-Swallow
Cecropis abyssinica
Pied Starling
Lamprotornis bicolor
Red-winged Starling
Onychognathus morio
African Stonechat
Saxicola torquatus
Cape Bunting
Emberiza capensis
Southern Fiscal
Lanius collaris
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Golden Gate Highlands National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Garden Route National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Pilanesberg National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 4 | Addo Elephant National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 5 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 6 | Table Mountain National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 7 | Chobe National Park | 🇧🇼 Botswana | |
| 8 | Kafue National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 9 | Hwange National Park | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | |
| 10 | Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 11 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 12 | Moremi Game Reserve | 🇧🇼 Botswana | |
| 13 | Lower Zambezi National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 14 | Gonarezhou National Park | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | |
| 15 | Mana Pools National Park | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | |
| 16 | South Luangwa National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 17 | Liwonde National Park | 🇲🇼 Malawi | |
| 18 | Namib-Naukluft National Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia | |
| 19 | Etosha National Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a White-throated Swallow in Golden Gate Highlands National Park?
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a White-throated Swallow sighting in Golden Gate Highlands National Park, based on 35 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see White-throated Swallow in Golden Gate Highlands National Park?
September has the highest sighting rate for White-throated Swallow in Golden Gate Highlands National Park in our monthly data.