Red-breasted Swallow (Cecropis semirufa)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Red-breasted Swallow

Cecropis semirufa (Sundevall, 1850)

30 gWeight

The red-breasted swallow (Cecropis semirufa), also known as the rufous-chested swallow, is a member of the family Hirundinidae, found in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Busiest months: November · Most records: South Africa, Uganda, Namibia

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Red-breasted Swallow has been recorded at 289 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 30 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. iSimangaliso WP – Eastern ShoresSouth Africa370 records
  2. Lake Mburo NPUganda285 records
  3. Mkhuze GRSouth Africa242 records
More places
  1. Polokwane GRSouth Africa184 records
  2. Kgomo-KgomoSouth Africa178 records
  3. Zaagkuildrift RdSouth Africa171 records
  4. Kruger NP – Satara CampSouth Africa155 records
  5. Phinda GR – AirfieldSouth Africa146 records
  6. Pilanesberg NPSouth Africa142 records
  7. Etosha NP – Okaukuejo CampNamibia131 records

Countries and regions with the most records

South AfricaUgandaNamibiaKenyaGhanaZambiaZimbabweBotswana

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 red-breasted swallow (Cecropis semirufa), also known as the rufous-chested swallow, is a member of the family Hirundinidae, found in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is confined to the tropical rainforest during the wet season.

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

Questions

How big is the Red-breasted Swallow?

The Red-breasted Swallow weighs around 30 g.

Where does the Red-breasted Swallow live?

Its breeding range: Africa: widespread. It is most often recorded in South Africa, Uganda and Namibia.

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

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

Is the Red-breasted Swallow endangered?

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

What does the Red-breasted Swallow eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Red-breasted Swallow in?

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

At a glance

Weight
30 g
Habitat
Grassland
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Feeds in the air
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
127 mm
Tail
119 mm
Bill
12 mm
Tarsus
15 mm

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

Range

Africa: widespread

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Order
Passerines Passeriformes
Family
Swallows, Martins Hirundinidae
Genus
Cecropis

Other birds in the genus Cecropis

Greater Striped SwallowGreater Striped SwallowCecropis cucullataEuropean Red-rumped SwallowEuropean Red-rumped SwallowCecropis rufulaEastern Red-rumped SwallowEastern Red-rumped SwallowCecropis dauricaAfrican Red-rumped SwallowAfrican Red-rumped SwallowCecropis melanocrissusSri Lanka SwallowSri Lanka SwallowCecropis hyperythraRufous-bellied SwallowRufous-bellied SwallowCecropis badiaLesser Striped SwallowLesser Striped SwallowCecropis abyssinicaMosque SwallowMosque SwallowCecropis senegalensisAfrican River MartinAfrican River MartinPseudochelidon eurystominaWhite-eyed River MartinWhite-eyed River MartinPseudochelidon sirintarae
Red-breasted Swallow

Download illustration

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

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