Photo: Dario Sanches from SÃO PAULO, BRASIL / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Tawny-headed Swallow
Alopochelidon fucata
Tawny-headed Swallow (Alopochelidon fucata) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Tawny-headed Swallow (Alopochelidon fucata) is a member of the Hirundinidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 14 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Hirundinidae Swallows, Martins
- Genus Alopochelidon
- Species fucata
Quick facts
- Weight
- 14 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Hirundinidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Tawny-headed Swallow is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Tawny-headed Swallow is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Tawny-headed Swallow (Alopochelidon fucata) belongs to the Hirundinidae family of the order Passeriformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA Bolivia to sc Brazil and s to n Argentina.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 14 g, with a wing length of about 9.9 cm and a tail of around 4.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 4.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Tawny-headed Swallow?
The Tawny-headed Swallow is a very small bird that weighs around 14 g.
Where does the Tawny-headed Swallow live?
The Tawny-headed Swallow is found across South America with a range covering SA Bolivia to sc Brazil and s to n Argentina, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Tawny-headed Swallow belong to?
The Tawny-headed Swallow (Alopochelidon fucata) belongs to the Hirundinidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Tawny-headed Swallow eat?
The Tawny-headed Swallow is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Tawny-headed Swallow migrate?
The Tawny-headed Swallow is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Tawny-headed Swallow endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Tawny-headed Swallow make?
1 real field recording of the Tawny-headed Swallow — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Tawny-headed Swallow's range?
The Tawny-headed Swallow has a mapped global range of about 4.3 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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