Photo: Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Red-breasted Swallow
Cecropis semirufa
Red-breasted Swallow (Cecropis semirufa) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Red-breasted Swallow (Cecropis semirufa) is a member of the Hirundinidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 30.1 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 Cecropis
- Species semirufa
Quick facts
- Weight
- 30.1 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Hirundinidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Red-breasted 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 Red-breasted Swallow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Red-breasted Swallow (Cecropis semirufa) is a species of bird in the Hirundinidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF widespread.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 30.1 g, with a wing length of about 12.7 cm and a tail of around 11.9 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 8.9 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Red-breasted Swallow?
The Red-breasted Swallow is a small bird that weighs around 30.1 g.
Where does the Red-breasted Swallow live?
The Red-breasted Swallow is found across Africa with a range covering AF widespread, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Red-breasted Swallow belong to?
The Red-breasted Swallow (Cecropis semirufa) belongs to the Hirundinidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Red-breasted Swallow eat?
The Red-breasted Swallow is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Red-breasted Swallow migrate?
The Red-breasted Swallow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Red-breasted 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-breasted Swallow make?
1 real field recording of the Red-breasted 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-breasted Swallow's range?
The Red-breasted Swallow has a mapped global range of about 8.9 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.
Explore more birds
More in Hirundinidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.