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Difference between revisions of "Pacific Swallow" - BirdForum Opus

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(id, ref)
(Added image showing H. t. frontalis)
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[[Image:Pacific_Swallow.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by Romy Ocon<br />Location: UP-Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines]]
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[[Image:PacificSwallowIMG 1838.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Adult subspecies ''H. t. frontalis''<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|jmorlan|Joseph Morlan}}<br />Madang, [[Papua New Guinea]], 14 September 2019]]
 
;[[:Category:Hirundo|Hirundo]] tahitica
 
;[[:Category:Hirundo|Hirundo]] tahitica
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'''Includes: Hill Swallow'''
 
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
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14cm. Sexes similar. Blue back, brown wings and tail, red face and throat, dusky underparts.  <br />
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[[Image:06832BA6-DC43-4191-82A3-9DA700AFB600.jpeg|thumb|350px|right|Adult subspecies ''H. t. javanica''<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|kayes|kayes}}<br />Penang, [[Malaysia]], 29 April 2017]]
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Juveniles are browner.
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13-14cm (5-5½ in)
 +
*Blue back
 +
*Brown wings and tail
 +
*Red face and throat
 +
*Dusky underparts <br />
 +
Sexes similar. Juveniles are browner.
 
====Similar Species====
 
====Similar Species====
 
Similar to [[Barn Swallow]] and [[Welcome Swallow]] but is shorter and the tail is less forked. Especially compared to Barn Swallow, the lack of dark blue breast band and the presence of dusky flanks are useful (although east Asian Barn Swallow has less extensive breast band than some other subspecies).  
 
Similar to [[Barn Swallow]] and [[Welcome Swallow]] but is shorter and the tail is less forked. Especially compared to Barn Swallow, the lack of dark blue breast band and the presence of dusky flanks are useful (although east Asian Barn Swallow has less extensive breast band than some other subspecies).  
  
 
==Distribution==
 
==Distribution==
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South [[India]] to [[Japan]] and the [[Philippines]], [[New Guinea]] and [[Tahiti]].   
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From [[Burma]] to [[Japan]] and the [[Philippines]], [[New Guinea]] and [[Tahiti]].   
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
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====Subspecies<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>====
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[[Image:Pacific_Swallow.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Juvenile ''H. t. javanica''<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|Romy+Ocon|Romy Ocon}}<br />UP-Diliman, Quezon City, [[Philippines]], 8 April 2006]]
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[[Hill Swallow]] is sometimes included in this species.
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*''H.t.domicola''                           S [[India]] and [[Sri Lanka]]
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====Subspecies====
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*''H.t.javanica (abbotti, mallopega)'' [[Andamans]] and [[Myanmar]] to Indochina, Sundas, Wallacea, [[Philippines]]
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There are 7 subspecies<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>:
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*''H.t.namiyei''                           Ryukyu Islands and [[Taiwan]]
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*''H. t. javanica (abbotti, mallopega)'':
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*''H.t.frontalis''                           N and w [[New Guinea]]
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:*[[Andamans]] and [[Myanmar]] to Indochina, Sundas, Wallacea, [[Philippines]]
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*''H.t.ambiens''                           New Britain (Bismarck Archipelago)
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*''H. t. namiyei'':
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*''H.t.subfusca''                           New Ireland to Solomons, [[New Caledonia]], [[Vanuatu]], [[Fiji]] and [[Tonga]]
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:*Ryukyu Islands and [[Taiwan]]
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*''H.t.tahitica''                           Society Islands (Moorea and Tahiti)
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*''H. t. frontalis'':
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''Domicola'' from southern India is sometimes split as '''Hill Swallow'''.
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:*North and western [[New Guinea]]
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*''H. t.  albescens'':
 +
:*South and eastern [[New Guinea]]
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*''H. t. ambiens'':
 +
:*New Britain (Bismarck Archipelago)
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*''H. t. subfusca'':
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:*New Ireland to Solomons, [[New Caledonia]], [[Vanuatu]], [[Fiji]] and [[Tonga]]
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*''H. t. tahitica'':
 +
:*Society Islands (Moorea and [[Tahiti]])
  
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
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Coasts, but is increasingly spreading to forested uplands.
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Coastal cliffs, but is increasingly spreading to forested uplands.
  
 
==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
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Diet includes insects, especially flies, while airborne.  
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====Diet====
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Call:  high pitched tweet in alarm; otherwise a cheerful twittering.
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Their diet consists mostly of insects, such as beetles, ants and termites but especially flies, which are caught in flight.  
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They build nests of mud and pellets combined with dry grasses on vertical surfaces with overhangs. 3 white eggs with brown spots are laid.
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====Breeding====
 +
Their nests are constructed from mud and pellets combined with dry grasses on vertical surfaces with overhangs. The clutch contains 3 white eggs with brown spots.
 +
====Vocalisation====
 +
'''Call''': high pitched tweet in alarm; otherwise a cheerful twittering.
 +
====Movements====
 +
Mostly resident.
 +
 
 
==References==
 
==References==
−
#{{Ref-Clements6thDec08}}#[http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=1858650 Birdforum discussion] of id features including this species.
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#{{Ref-Clements6thAug19}}#[http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=1858650 Birdforum discussion] of id features including this species.
 +
#del Hoyo, J., Collar, N. & Kirwan, G.M. (2019). House Swallow (''Hirundo javanica''). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from https://www.hbw.com/node/1343899 on 31 October 2019).
 +
#Gregory, P. (2017) ''Birds of New Guinea, Including Bismarck Archipelago and Boughainville.'' Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.
 +
#Schodde, R. & Mason, I.J. (1999) ''The Directory of Australian Birds: Passerines.'' CSIRO Publishing
 +
#Turner, A. & Rose, C. (1989) ''Swallows & Martins, An Identification Guide and Handbook.'' Houghton Mifflin, Boston.
 +
{{ref}}
  
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
 
{{GSearch|Hirundo+tahitica}}   
 
{{GSearch|Hirundo+tahitica}}   
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*[http://www.aviceda.org/abid/birdimages.php?action=birdspecies&fid=73&bid=1362 View more images of this species on the ABID] 
+
 
 
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Hirundo]]
 
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Hirundo]]

Revision as of 07:31, 3 November 2019

Adult subspecies H. t. frontalis
Photo © by Joseph Morlan
Madang, Papua New Guinea, 14 September 2019
Hirundo tahitica

Identification

Adult subspecies H. t. javanica
Photo © by kayes
Penang, Malaysia, 29 April 2017

13-14cm (5-5½ in)

  • Blue back
  • Brown wings and tail
  • Red face and throat
  • Dusky underparts

Sexes similar. Juveniles are browner.

Similar Species

Similar to Barn Swallow and Welcome Swallow but is shorter and the tail is less forked. Especially compared to Barn Swallow, the lack of dark blue breast band and the presence of dusky flanks are useful (although east Asian Barn Swallow has less extensive breast band than some other subspecies).

Distribution

From Burma to Japan and the Philippines, New Guinea and Tahiti.

Taxonomy

Juvenile H. t. javanica
Photo © by Romy Ocon
UP-Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines, 8 April 2006

Hill Swallow is sometimes included in this species.

Subspecies

There are 7 subspecies[1]:

  • H. t. javanica (abbotti, mallopega):
  • H. t. namiyei:
  • H. t. frontalis:
  • H. t. albescens:
  • H. t. ambiens:
  • New Britain (Bismarck Archipelago)
  • H. t. subfusca:
  • H. t. tahitica:
  • Society Islands (Moorea and Tahiti)

Habitat

Coastal cliffs, but is increasingly spreading to forested uplands.

Behaviour

Diet

Their diet consists mostly of insects, such as beetles, ants and termites but especially flies, which are caught in flight.

Breeding

Their nests are constructed from mud and pellets combined with dry grasses on vertical surfaces with overhangs. The clutch contains 3 white eggs with brown spots.

Vocalisation

Call: high pitched tweet in alarm; otherwise a cheerful twittering.

Movements

Mostly resident.

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2019. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World: v2019. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Birdforum discussion of id features including this species.
  3. del Hoyo, J., Collar, N. & Kirwan, G.M. (2019). House Swallow (Hirundo javanica). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from https://www.hbw.com/node/1343899 on 31 October 2019).
  4. Gregory, P. (2017) Birds of New Guinea, Including Bismarck Archipelago and Boughainville. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.
  5. Schodde, R. & Mason, I.J. (1999) The Directory of Australian Birds: Passerines. CSIRO Publishing
  6. Turner, A. & Rose, C. (1989) Swallows & Martins, An Identification Guide and Handbook. Houghton Mifflin, Boston.

Recommended Citation

External Links

Retrieved from ‘https://www.birdforum.net/wiki/index.php?title=Pacific_Swallow&oldid=239421’
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