Blue Swallow
Hirundo atrocaerulea
ENEndangered
- Family
- Swallows (Hirundinidae)
- Order
- Passeriformes
Overview
The blue swallow (Hirundo atrocaerulea) is a small bird within the swallow family which is in the order Passeriformes. Swallows are somewhat similar in habits and appearance to other aerial insectivores, such as the martins (also a passerine) and the swifts (order Apodiformes). It breeds in the Afromontane (from South Africa to Tanzania), wintering north of Lake Victoria.
This bird breeds in montane grassland, preferring high rainfall, undulating areas.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
Eastern South Africa and western Eswatini; winters northward to Kenya and southern Uganda.
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Blue swallow
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
