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A photo of a Wire-tailed Swallow (Hirundo smithii)
Wire-tailed Swallow

Wire-tailed Swallow

Hirundo smithii

The wire-tailed swallow (Hirundo smithii) is a small passerine bird in the swallow family. It has two subspecies: H. s. smithii, which occurs throughout Africa, and H. s. filifera, which is found in southern and southeastern Asia. It is mainly resident, but populations in Pakistan and northern India migrate further south in winter. The genus name Hirundo is the Latin word for swallow. The species name smithii commemorates Christen Smith, a Norwegian botanist and geologist. The wire-tailed swallow is a small swallow, measuring 18 cm in length. It has bright blue upperparts, bright white underparts and a chestnut cap. Immature birds lack tail wires, and have dull brown (rather than chestnut) caps. The species is named for the very long filamentous outermost tail feathers, which trail behind like two wires. The sexes are similar in appearance, but the female has shorter "wires". Juveniles have a brown crown, back and tail. The Asian form, H. s. filifera, is larger and longer-tailed than the abundant African H. s. smithii.
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Wire-tailed Swallows on Birda

Photos

Sightings

A map showing the sighting location
🦩
Cathy Campbell
Wednesday 27 Sep 2023 - 11:18am
South Africa
A map showing the sighting location
Profile picture for Jacques de Villiers
Jacques de Villiers
Wednesday 27 Sep 2023 - 5:03am
South Africa
A map showing the sighting location
Profile picture for Ashwell Barrett Glasson
Ashwell Barrett Glasson
Sunday 24 Sep 2023 - 2:47pm
South Africa
A map showing the sighting location
🦁
Petro Lotter
Saturday 23 Sep 2023 - 2:45pm
South Africa
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