Mangrove Swallow (Tachycineta albilinea)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Tachycineta ("moving quickly") albilinea ("white lined") 

Mangrove Swallow (Tachycineta albilinea) at Tarcoles, Costa Rica - November 2025

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 14g  /  Length: 11-12cm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Unlike many hirundines, the mangrove swallow is a solitary nester built into nooks near water, either manmade or artificial. These particular birds pictured had made the bold choice to make a nest on one of the tour boats for the Tarcoles River, and thus periodically they would follow their moving nest up and down the river before returning to dock, seemingly unphased.
 
Related Species: 
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Hirundinidae
Genus: Tachycineta
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 
 
- Sighting Locations -

COSTA RICA - Spanish - Golondrina de Manglar ("Mangrove Swallow")

Found in coastal and wetland lowlands, particularly Mangroves
- COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen at Tarcoles 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Blue-and-white Swallow (Pygochelidon cyanoleuca)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Pygochelidon ("rump swallow") cyanoleuca ("blue and white")

Blue-and-white Swallow (Pygochelidon cyanoleuca)at Alajuela, Costa Rica - November 2025

Featured Subspecies: Pygochelidon cyanoleuca cyanoleauca
Weight: 10g  /  Length: 11-12cm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A species with a vast range across of South America but the highest peaks of the Andes meets the most Northerly point of its range in Costa Rica. It is a versatile species which can be found from sea-level to 4000m altitude, building its nest in cavities both natural and man made. It is believed to have benefitted from human caused changes to habitat as deforestation has provided more of the open habitats it prefers.
 
Related Species: 
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Hirundinidae
Genus: Pygochelidon
SUBSPECIES: P. c. cyanoleaca, P. c. peuviana, P. c. patagonica
 
- Sighting Locations - 

COSTA RICA - Spanish - Golondrina Barranquera ("Burrowing Swallow")
A widespread resident
- COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen at Alajuela 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Tachycineta ("moving quickly") bicolor ("two coloured")

 

Juvenile Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) at Buffalo Creek State Park, Minnesota - July 2024

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 17-25g  /  Length: 12-14cm  /  Wingspan: 30-35cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A hirundine which will nest in tree cavities, usually near water. The adult males have irridescent turquoise plumage on their head and backs. They range is expanding in some places due to general conservation efforts which have benefitted them such as changed land use and nest boxes.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Hirundinidae
Genus: Tachycineta
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES - Summer breeding migrant to Northern Lower 48 and Alaska, some Winter on Gulf Coast
 - CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: Seen in Minnesota

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Stelgidopteryx ("scraper wing") serripennis ("saw feather")  

Adult Northern Rough-winged Swallows (Stelgidopteryx serripennis) at Sully Creek State Park, North Dakota - July 2024

Featured Subspecies: Stelgidopteryx serripennis seripennis
Weight: 10-18g  /  Length: 13-15cm  /  Wingspan: 27-30cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A small swallow native to North America, they are named for their oddly barbed feathers on their wings. Less colonial than many other hirundines, they frequently nest alone and resuse nests built by other species such as bank swallow (sand martins). 

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Hirundinidae
Genus: Stelgipteryx
SUBSPECIES: S. s. serripennis, S. s. psammochrous, S. s. fulvipennis, S. s. stuarti, S. s. ridgwayi, S .s. burleighi

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES - BA breeding Summer migrant across almost the entire Lower 48
 - CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: Seen in North Dakota

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Violet-green Swallow (Tachycineta thalassina)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Tachycineta ("moving quickly") thalassina ("sea green")

 

Three Violet-green Swallows (Tachycineta thalassina) at San Jose, California - August 2022

Featured Subspecies: Probably Tachycineta thalassina thalassina
Weight: 13-14g  /  Length: 13cm  /  Wingspan: 27cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern 

A vividly coloured hirundine species compared to most, the Violet-green Swallow is a species that breeds in open woodlands, although in some locations it has adapted to urban living. Of the swallows in the Bay, it was the only one still present in numbers other than Barn Swallow at the time of my visit with most others having already migrated.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Hirundinidae
Genus: Tachycineta
SUBSPECIES: T. t. thalassina, T. t. brachyptera, T. t. lepida

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES 
Breeds in Western United States, including Alaska
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP:  Seen at San Jose

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Pacific Swallow (Hirundo javanica)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Hirundo ("swallow") tahitica ("of Tahiti")

Two adult Pacific Swallows (subspecies H. j. javanica) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - July, 2016

Featured Subspecies: Tirundo tahitica javanica
Weight: 11-15g  /  Length: 14cm  /  Wingspan: 30-35cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Pacific Swallow is a fairly typical red-throated swallow in many ways - similar to the globally distributed Barn Swallow on first inspection.  However, on closer examination, a few defining features begin to stand out - the lack of a dark chest band between red and white, duskier underparts and a shorter tail.  It is however also a little different behaviorally from the Barn Swallow, being principally a coastal species, being resident and it's range being restricted to the tropics.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Hirundinidae
Genus: Hirundo
SUBSPECIES: H. j. javanica, H. j. namiyei, H. j. frontalis, H. j. ambiens, H. j. subfusca, H. j. albescens 

 - Sighting Locations -

MALAYSIA - Malay - Layang-layang Pasifik ("Pacific Kite")
Common resident.

 - MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE 2016 TRIP: Common in Kuala Lumpur 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

European Red-rumped Swallow (Cecropis rufula)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Cecropis ("Athenian woman") rufula ("rufous")

                                            Adult Red-rumped Swallow (subspecies C. r. rufula) at Patones, Spain - June 2015

Featured Subspecies: Cecropis daurica rufula

Weight: 24g  /  Length: 16-18cm  /  Wingspan: 33cm

NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern  

The Red-rumped swallow is largest hirundines found in Europe, being longer than Barn Swallows.  They are however a bit more limited in habitat and smaller in range - it is less colonial than Barn Swallows and seems to prefer rock faces to buildings, and has a differing nest construction.  Although known as the Red-rumped swallow, this name is a bit misleading - it's colouring is more orange than red and the face is more noticeably coloured than the rump.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Hirunidinidae
Genus: Cecropis
Subspecies: C. d. daurica, C. d. japonica, C. d. nipalensis, C. d. erythropygia, C. d. rufula, C. d. domicella, C. d. domicella, C. d. kumboensis, C. d. emini, C. d. melanocrissus

 - Sighting Locations -

SPAIN - Spanish - Golondrina dáurica ("Daurian Swallow")

Locally common Summer migrant.

 - MADRID 2015 TRIP: Several seen at Patones and Toledo
 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: Several seen at El Pardo  and near the entrance to Monfrague

ITALY - Italian - Rondine rossiccia ("Reddish swallow")

A Summer visitor

 - SICILY 2018 TRIP - A few seen at Capo Murro di Porco 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

OTHER NAMES: Swallow, Common Swallow

Latin Etymology: Hirundo ("swallow") rustica ("rural")

Adult Barn Swallow (subspecies H. r. rustica) at Geddington, Northants - May 2013

Featured Subspecies: Hirundo rustica rustica
Weight: 16-22g  /  Length: 17-19cm  /  Wingspan: 32.34cm

UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A widely spread bird, the Swallow is almost certainly one of the easier species to see in the UK and they Summer right across Eurasia; I also saw this species feeding over rivers on my visit to Japan. In the Winter they migrate southwards, in the case of the UK birds, to Sub-Saharan Africa. Swallows are insectivores and next under eaves and in barns - they are perhaps not quite as common as the smaller sand martin, but their very forked tail, glossy blue coloration and red throat makes them easy to distinguish if you get a good view. As with other high speed aerial feeders - photographing them is substantially harder than seeing them - for a compact camera like mine, I would recommend manually focusing to the approximate height at which they are flying and then taking photos until you get them. Alternatively, just wait until you catch them landed - they often perch on wire fences or overhead cables.

Related Species: 
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Hirundinidae
Genus: Hirundo
Subspecies: H. r. rustica, H. r. transitiva, H. r. savignii, H. r. tytleri, H. r. gutturalis, H. r. mandschurica, H. r. erythrogaster

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A common Summer migrant (860,000 territories)

 - Birds seen at sites including Rutland Water, Trevose Head, Rainham Marshes, Elmley Marshes, and Geddington.

CAMBODIA  - Khmer name: ត្រចៀកកាំ

- A localised resident.

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP: Common at Prek Toal

ITALY -  Italian - La Rondine Comune ("Common Swallow")

A common Summer migrant.

 - SICILY 2018 TRIP -  Very common throughout.

JAPAN - Japanese - ツバメ  /  Tsubame ("Swallow")
Fairly common Summer migrant.  Subspecies H. r. gutturalis.

 - KYOTO 2013 TRIP: Several seen at Arashiyama. 

SPAIN - Spanish - Golondrina común ("Common Swallow")

Scarce and Local Resident

 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: Seen flying over Laguna Navaseca.

UNITED STATES 
Found across the entire Lower 48 and Hawai'i
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at Berkeley, San Francisco, San Jose etc

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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