Wire‑tailed Swallow Did you see this animal?
Scientific Name : Hirundo smithii
Family : Hirundinidae
Order : Passeriformes
Class : Aves
Phylum : Chordata
Habitat : Open country, cultivable lands and human habitations adjoining water.
Description : The Wire-tailed Swallow has a striking appearance with glossy, iridescent blue-black upperparts and a white underbelly. It has a distinctive wire-like tail, which is long and deeply forked, with thin, wire-like outer feathers that trail behind the bird in flight. The Wire-tailed Swallow is a small bird, measuring approximately 17-18 cm in length and weighing around 15-20 grams. It is found in a variety of habitats, including open woodland, savannahs, grasslands, and even urban areas. It is commonly found in India, Sri Lanka, and Southeast Asia. The Wire-tailed Swallow feeds primarily on insects, which it catches while in flight.
This species is known for its acrobatic flight, with the ability to make sudden twists and turns in pursuit of insects. It is also a highly social species, often seen in flocks during the non-breeding season. The Wire-tailed Swallow breeds in colonies, constructing nests made of mud and lined with feathers and grass. The female lays 2-4 eggs, which are incubated by both parents for around 14-16 days.
This species is known for its acrobatic flight, with the ability to make sudden twists and turns in pursuit of insects. It is also a highly social species, often seen in flocks during the non-breeding season. The Wire-tailed Swallow breeds in colonies, constructing nests made of mud and lined with feathers and grass. The female lays 2-4 eggs, which are incubated by both parents for around 14-16 days.
Distribution in Bangladesh
Other Species from Group
Species groups
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Bee-eaters -
Booby -
frigatebird -
phalarope -
tropicbird -
Martins and Swallows -
Crows, Drongos & allies -
Woodpeckers -
Eared Nightjars -
Ibises & Spoonbills -
Trogons -
Coucals -
Pelicans -
Darters -
Gulls -
Warblers and allies -
Flowerpeckers & Sunbirds -
Sparrows, Wagtails, Pipits a& allies -
moonbird -
Hawks & Eagles -
Snipes, Sandpipers, Plovers & allies -
Small Kingfishers -
Cisticola & Prinia -
Plovers & Lapwings -
Rails, Gallinules & Coots -
Tits -
Parrots -
Rosefinches and Buntings -
Bustards -
Grebes -
Pheasants & Partridges -
Old World flycatcher -
Starlings and Mynas -
Hornbills -
Buttonquails -
Rollers -
Bluebirds -
Crested Kingfishers -
Cormorants -
Pigeons and Doves -
Jacanas -
Typical Owl -
Finfoots &booby -
Flamingo -
Herons and Bitterns -
Treecreepers -
Nuthatch -
Barbets -
Treeswifts -
Swifts -
Crab-plovers, Coursers and Pratincoles -
Bulbuls -
Frogmouths -
Larks -
Storks -
Broadbills -
Thick-knees -
Painted-snipes -
Nightjars -
Barn-owls -
Large-billed Kingfishers -
Falcons -
Pittas -
Cranes -
Whistling-ducks -
Ducks, Geese & Swans -
Hoopoe
References:
description written by: Shahtaj Islam Sakaal,Department of Zoology, University of Dhaka;information source: Encyclopedia of Flora and Fauna of Bangladesh, Vol-26, iucnredlist.org;taxonomic checklist:P. M. Thompson and S. U. Chowdhury (2020). A checklist of birds of Bangladesh.Birds Bangladesh;photo credit: mikeloomis(www.inaturalist.org/people/mikeloomis),photo shared from iNaturalist, photo copyright reserved according to iNaturalist rules;Frank Lambertmore information, please contact us.
description written by: Shahtaj Islam Sakaal,Department of Zoology, University of Dhaka;information source: Encyclopedia of Flora and Fauna of Bangladesh, Vol-26, iucnredlist.org;taxonomic checklist:P. M. Thompson and S. U. Chowdhury (2020). A checklist of birds of Bangladesh.Birds Bangladesh;photo credit: mikeloomis(www.inaturalist.org/people/mikeloomis),photo shared from iNaturalist, photo copyright reserved according to iNaturalist rules;Frank Lambertmore information, please contact us.