Photo: Félix Uribe from Rionegro, Antioquia, Colombia / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Brown-bellied Swallow
Orochelidon murina
Brown-bellied Swallow (Orochelidon murina) — 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 Brown-bellied Swallow (Orochelidon murina) is a member of the Hirundinidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 11.7 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 Orochelidon
- Species murina
Quick facts
- Weight
- 11.7 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Hirundinidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Brown-bellied 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 Brown-bellied Swallow is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Brown-bellied Swallow (Orochelidon murina) belongs to the Hirundinidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA w Venezuela to c Bolivia.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 11.7 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.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 426,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Brown-bellied Swallow?
The Brown-bellied Swallow is a very small bird that weighs around 11.7 g.
Where does the Brown-bellied Swallow live?
The Brown-bellied Swallow is found across South America with a range covering SA w Venezuela to c Bolivia, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Brown-bellied Swallow belong to?
The Brown-bellied Swallow (Orochelidon murina) belongs to the Hirundinidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Brown-bellied Swallow eat?
The Brown-bellied Swallow is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Brown-bellied Swallow migrate?
The Brown-bellied Swallow is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Brown-bellied 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 Brown-bellied Swallow make?
1 real field recording of the Brown-bellied 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 Brown-bellied Swallow's range?
The Brown-bellied Swallow has a mapped global range of about 426,000 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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Guides for this bird
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