ggregory71
Well-known member
This post is intended for general interest.
The attached photographs are of a hybrid Swallow x House Martin caught and ringed at the Gibraltar Point, Lincolnshire, hirundine roost two nights ago.
It was aged as a juvenile mainly because of the yellow gape flange. It had a juvenile Swallow-like upper head but only a 'ghost' of a breast band. The undertail coverts were pinky-buff. The rump was off-white tinged pink-buff. The tail was deeply notched but had no mirrors. The upper body and head had some blue.
On a brief view it might be confused with a Red-rumped Swallow, but on a longer view it would show the following differences: tail notched (forked in Red-rumped Swallow), undertail coverts pale (very dark in RrS), no collar effect (present in RrS), 'ghost' breast band (absent in RrS).
A similar bird was seen at Gibraltar Point last year. Apparently there are several others around the UK at present and at least four others have been trapped at other hirundine roosts recently.
The attached photographs are of a hybrid Swallow x House Martin caught and ringed at the Gibraltar Point, Lincolnshire, hirundine roost two nights ago.
It was aged as a juvenile mainly because of the yellow gape flange. It had a juvenile Swallow-like upper head but only a 'ghost' of a breast band. The undertail coverts were pinky-buff. The rump was off-white tinged pink-buff. The tail was deeply notched but had no mirrors. The upper body and head had some blue.
On a brief view it might be confused with a Red-rumped Swallow, but on a longer view it would show the following differences: tail notched (forked in Red-rumped Swallow), undertail coverts pale (very dark in RrS), no collar effect (present in RrS), 'ghost' breast band (absent in RrS).
A similar bird was seen at Gibraltar Point last year. Apparently there are several others around the UK at present and at least four others have been trapped at other hirundine roosts recently.