Pied-winged Swallow (Hirundo leucosoma)
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Pied-winged Swallow

Hirundo leucosoma Swainson, 1837

18 gWeight

The pied-winged swallow (Hirundo leucosoma) is a species of bird in the family Hirundinidae.

Busiest months: November · Most records: Gambia, Ghana, Sierra Leone

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Pied-winged Swallow has been recorded at 43 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 9 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Abuko NRGambia91 records
  2. Brenu Beach – grasslandsGhana77 records
  3. Farasuto Forest Community NRGambia59 records
More places
  1. Tanji Bird ReserveGambia40 records
  2. TujerengGambia38 records
  3. Brufut WoodsGambia31 records
  4. Pirang Forest NPGambia27 records
  5. Kartong WetlandGambia16 records
  6. Mole NPGhana16 records
  7. Kampanti Raptor BridgeGambia15 records

Countries and regions with the most records

GambiaGhanaSierra LeoneTogoBeninNigerBurkina FasoNigeria

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 pied-winged swallow (Hirundo leucosoma) is a species of bird in the family Hirundinidae. It has distinctive steel-blue upperparts with white wing patches. It is native to parts of West Africa.

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

Questions

How big is the Pied-winged Swallow?

The Pied-winged Swallow weighs around 18 g.

Where does the Pied-winged Swallow live?

Its breeding range: Africa: Senegal and Gambia to Nigeria. It is most often recorded in Gambia, Ghana and Sierra Leone.

When is the best time to see the Pied-winged Swallow?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in November (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Pied-winged Swallow endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Pied-winged Swallow as Least Concern.

What does the Pied-winged Swallow eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Pied-winged Swallow in?

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

At a glance

Weight
18 g
Habitat
Woodland
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Feeds in the air
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
98 mm
Tail
51 mm
Bill
10 mm
Tarsus
9 mm

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

Range

Africa: Senegal and Gambia to Nigeria

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 nigrorufaPearl-breasted SwallowPearl-breasted SwallowHirundo dimidiataHill SwallowHill SwallowHirundo domicolaPacific SwallowPacific SwallowHirundo javanicaTahiti SwallowTahiti SwallowHirundo tahiticaWhite-tailed SwallowWhite-tailed SwallowHirundo megaensisWelcome SwallowWelcome SwallowHirundo neoxenaBarn SwallowBarn SwallowHirundo rusticaRed-chested SwallowRed-chested SwallowHirundo lucidaEthiopian SwallowEthiopian SwallowHirundo aethiopicaAngola SwallowAngola SwallowHirundo angolensis
Pied-winged Swallow

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

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