Pearl-breasted Swallow (Hirundo dimidiata)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Pearl-breasted Swallow

Hirundo dimidiata Sundevall, 1850

13–14 cmLength12 gWeight

The pearl-breasted swallow (Hirundo dimidiata) is a small swallow.

Busiest months: September–November · Most records: South Africa, Namibia, Botswana

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Pearl-breasted Swallow has been recorded at 146 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 9 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Rietvlei NRSouth Africa281 records
  2. West Coast NPSouth Africa267 records
  3. De Hoop Nature ReserveSouth Africa211 records
More places
  1. Darling Hills/Groote Post RoadSouth Africa164 records
  2. Zaagkuildrift RdSouth Africa160 records
  3. Pilanesberg NPSouth Africa135 records
  4. West Coast NP – Geelbek hides vicinitySouth Africa135 records
  5. West Coast NP – Seeberg hideSouth Africa131 records
  6. Kgomo-KgomoSouth Africa95 records
  7. Mkhombo Nature ReserveSouth Africa74 records

Countries and regions with the most records

South AfricaNamibiaBotswanaZambiaZimbabweMalawiAngolaEswatini

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The pearl-breasted swallow (Hirundo dimidiata) is a small swallow.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Pearl-breasted Swallow?

The Pearl-breasted Swallow is about 13–14 cm long and weighs around 12 g.

Where does the Pearl-breasted Swallow live?

Its breeding range: Africa: southern, south-central. It is most often recorded in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana.

When is the best time to see the Pearl-breasted Swallow?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in September, October and November (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Pearl-breasted Swallow endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Pearl-breasted Swallow as Least Concern.

What does the Pearl-breasted Swallow eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Pearl-breasted Swallow in?

It belongs to the family Swallows, Martins (Hirundinidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Length
13–14 cm
Weight
12 g
Habitat
Grassland
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Feeds in the air
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
98 mm
Tail
58 mm
Bill
10 mm
Tarsus
10 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: southern, south-central

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Order
Passerines Passeriformes
Family
Swallows, Martins Hirundinidae
Genus
Hirundo

Other birds in the genus Hirundo

Blue SwallowBlue SwallowHirundo atrocaeruleaBlack-and-rufous SwallowBlack-and-rufous SwallowHirundo nigrorufaHill SwallowHill SwallowHirundo domicolaPacific SwallowPacific SwallowHirundo javanicaTahiti SwallowTahiti SwallowHirundo tahiticaPied-winged SwallowPied-winged SwallowHirundo leucosomaWhite-tailed SwallowWhite-tailed SwallowHirundo megaensisWelcome SwallowWelcome SwallowHirundo neoxenaBarn SwallowBarn SwallowHirundo rusticaRed-chested SwallowRed-chested SwallowHirundo lucidaEthiopian SwallowEthiopian SwallowHirundo aethiopicaAngola SwallowAngola SwallowHirundo angolensis
Pearl-breasted Swallow

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from reference photos. ↗

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