Photo: Cláudio Dias Timm / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Chilean Swallow
Tachycineta leucopyga
Chilean Swallow (Tachycineta leucopyga) — 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 Chilean Swallow (Tachycineta leucopyga) is a member of the Hirundinidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 14.9 g.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Hirundinidae Swallows, Martins
- Genus Tachycineta
- Species leucopyga
Quick facts
- Weight
- 14.9 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Hirundinidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Chilean 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 Chilean Swallow is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Chilean Swallow (Tachycineta leucopyga) is a member of the Hirundinidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA Southern Cone.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 14.9 g, with a wing length of about 11 cm and a tail of around 5.4 cm.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Chilean Swallow?
The Chilean Swallow is a very small bird that weighs around 14.9 g.
Where does the Chilean Swallow live?
The Chilean Swallow is found across South America with a range covering SA Southern Cone, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Chilean Swallow belong to?
The Chilean Swallow (Tachycineta leucopyga) belongs to the Hirundinidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Chilean Swallow eat?
The Chilean Swallow is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Chilean Swallow migrate?
The Chilean Swallow is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
What sound does the Chilean Swallow make?
1 real field recording of the Chilean Swallow — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
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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