Photo: Steve Garvie from Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Red-chested Swallow
Hirundo lucida
Red-chested Swallow (Hirundo lucida) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
The Red-chested Swallow (Hirundo lucida) is a member of the Hirundinidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 13 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 Hirundo
- Species lucida
Quick facts
- Weight
- 13 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Hirundinidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Urban & human-modified
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
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Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Red-chested Swallow is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of farmland, parks and gardens, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Red-chested Swallow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Red-chested Swallow (Hirundo lucida) is a species of bird in the Hirundinidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF c, w, ne.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 13 g, with a wing length of about 11.3 cm and a tail of around 6.2 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 2.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Red-chested Swallow?
The Red-chested Swallow is a very small bird that weighs around 13 g.
Where does the Red-chested Swallow live?
The Red-chested Swallow is found across Africa with a range covering AF c, w, ne, where it adapts readily to towns, parks and gardens.
What family does the Red-chested Swallow belong to?
The Red-chested Swallow (Hirundo lucida) belongs to the Hirundinidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Red-chested Swallow eat?
The Red-chested Swallow is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Red-chested Swallow migrate?
The Red-chested Swallow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Red-chested 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 Red-chested Swallow make?
1 real field recording of the Red-chested 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 Red-chested Swallow's range?
The Red-chested Swallow has a mapped global range of about 2.3 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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