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Difference between revisions of "Pacific Swallow" - BirdForum Opus

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South [[India]] to [[Japan]] and the [[Philippines]], [[New Guinea]] and [[Tahiti]].   
 
South [[India]] to [[Japan]] and the [[Philippines]], [[New Guinea]] and [[Tahiti]].   
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
Several subspecies.<br />
+
====Subspecies<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>====
 +
 
 +
*''H.t.domicola''                           S India and Sri Lanka
 +
*''H.t.javanica (abbotti, mallopega)'' Andamans and Myanmar to Indochina, Sundas, Wallacea, Philippines
 +
*''H.t.namiyei''                           Ryukyu Islands and Taiwan
 +
*''H.t.frontalis''                           N and w New Guinea
 +
*''H.t.ambiens''                           New Britain (Bismarck Archipelago)
 +
*''H.t.subfusca''                           New Ireland to Solomons, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji and Tonga
 +
*''H.t.tahitica''                           Society Islands (Moorea and Tahiti)
 
''Domicola'' from southern India is sometimes split as '''Hill Swallow'''.
 
''Domicola'' from southern India is sometimes split as '''Hill Swallow'''.
  

Revision as of 18:15, 28 November 2009

Photo by Romy Ocon
Location: UP-Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
Hirundo tahitica

Includes: Hill Swallow

Identification

14cm. Sexes similar. Blue back, brown wings and tail, red face and throat, dusky underparts.

Similar Species

Similar to Barn Swallow and Welcome Swallow but is shorter and the tail is less forked. Juveniles are browner.

Distribution

South India to Japan and the Philippines, New Guinea and Tahiti.

Taxonomy

Subspecies[1]

  • H.t.domicola S India and Sri Lanka
  • H.t.javanica (abbotti, mallopega) Andamans and Myanmar to Indochina, Sundas, Wallacea, Philippines
  • H.t.namiyei Ryukyu Islands and Taiwan
  • H.t.frontalis N and w New Guinea
  • H.t.ambiens New Britain (Bismarck Archipelago)
  • H.t.subfusca New Ireland to Solomons, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji and Tonga
  • H.t.tahitica Society Islands (Moorea and Tahiti)

Domicola from southern India is sometimes split as Hill Swallow.

Habitat

Coasts, but is increasingly spreading to forested uplands.

Behaviour

Diet includes insects, especially flies, while airborne. Call: high pitched tweet in alarm; otherwise a cheerful twittering. They build nests of mud and pellets combined with dry grasses on vertical surfaces with overhangs. 3 white eggs with brown spots are laid.

External Links

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