Angola Swallow

About the Angola Swallow

The Angola swallow (Hirundo angolensis) is a species of swallow that is native to the Afrotropics. They measure 15 cm and weigh 16 to 19 g. The plumage of the forehead, throat and upper breast is coloured deep rufous-chestnut. The crown and upperparts are a shiny steel-blue. Flight and tail feathers are black, the latter with large white windows.

They frequent a variety of open habitats up to the fringes of forest, whether altered by man or natural. Their diet consists of a variety of flying insects. They may forage alone or in flocks, and emit a weak twittering. Their breeding season and abundance depends much on their region of residence, and a few undertake migrations.

It is found in Angola, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. It has been considered conspecific with the Red-chested swallow, but is generally taken as a full species in a species complex that includes Barn, Red-chested, Pacific, Welcome, White-throated and Ethiopian swallows.

There are two subspecies, but intermediate forms occur: H. a. angolensis – type from... Wikipedia →