Hello!
I was in Chiba Prefecture, Japan a few days back.
I saw many barn swallows near a certain station and noticed that a few had reddish bellies.
So, I began to wonder whether this is
Hirundo rustica gutturalis
or
Hirundo rustica saturata
H. r. gutturalis is the more common one in Japan.
Apparently, it is common for juvenile barn swallows to have slightly reddish bellies, due to molting.
However, I haven't heard of or found any information about adults having reddish bellies. These birds are adults, seeing from their tail feathers and throat colours.
Meanwhile, they don't seem red enough compared to photos of H. r. saturata I have seen.
It'd be great to get some opinions.
Thank you in advance!
I was in Chiba Prefecture, Japan a few days back.
I saw many barn swallows near a certain station and noticed that a few had reddish bellies.
So, I began to wonder whether this is
Hirundo rustica gutturalis
or
Hirundo rustica saturata
H. r. gutturalis is the more common one in Japan.
Apparently, it is common for juvenile barn swallows to have slightly reddish bellies, due to molting.
However, I haven't heard of or found any information about adults having reddish bellies. These birds are adults, seeing from their tail feathers and throat colours.
Meanwhile, they don't seem red enough compared to photos of H. r. saturata I have seen.
It'd be great to get some opinions.
Thank you in advance!
