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Blue-and-White Swallow? (1 Viewer)

Jacamar

Well-known member
I'm thinking that these are Blue-and-white swallows(Notiochelidon cyanoleuca). Could somone tell me if I'm right?
 

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Chris,
I have to say that I'm just not good enough from this photo to tell what you have. For me, it could be as you say, or it could be Progne or Tachycineta. At least I, need more photos, would be helpful somewhat photos with the throat chest area and photos showing the extension of the primaries on the retrices.
 
I should also tell you that its not a white-winged swallow(tachycineta albiventer). There are some of those around here, and they are quite different. These are bigger.
 
Chris,

As proposed by Steve, those birds belong to the genus Progne. To be more exact the two individuals are Grey-breasted Martins (P. chalybea). Blue-and-White Swallow is all white below (incl. throat) and roughly the same size as White-winged Swallow (which also has a white throat). The individuals on the photo could perhaps be mistaken for Southern Rough-winged Swallow, but; Progne are larger, and their jizz is rather distinctive, exactly like the individuals on the photo. So, we are down to genus, then species: Brown-chested Martin has a whitish throat, so it often appears as if they have a chest-band. Thus it is eliminated. Female Purple is quite similar to Grey-breasted but usually show a lighter collar and forecrown. Also, the white belly/lower chest generally doesn't appear "clean" (often somewhat streaked) in female Purple. Caribbean Martin may occur very rarely in Guyana, but it is quite similar to Purple, and therefore also eliminated from the above. Accidentaly Southern Martin may occur in Guyana (there is a single record from coastal Suriname), but the underparts are never white in this species. Only possibilit left is Grey-breasted Martin, for which the birds are a perfect match :t:
 
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Thank you for the ID, Steve and Rasmus. I am very surprised at the identity of these birds, I always thought that they were swallows. But I suppose they are somewhat similar.
I found a recording of the gray-breasted martin on naturesongs.com and it's call matches that of the one that I see. Thanks again!
 
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