Bird Album
Red-chested Swallow
Hirundo lucida Hartlaub, 1858
13 gWeight
The red-chested swallow (Hirundo lucida) is a small non-migratory passerine bird found in West Africa, the Congo Basin and Ethiopia.
Busiest months: January and November · Most records: Gambia, Senegal, Ghana
Where and when it's recorded
Busiest months: January and November · Most records: Gambia, Senegal, Ghana
Red-chested Swallow has been recorded at 110 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 17 countries and regions.
Records by month Northern Hemisphere
Where it's recorded most
- Bango – Djeuss et berges jusqu'à SanarSenegal142 records
- Campement de WassadouSenegal130 records
- Kartong WetlandGambia128 records
More places
- Kotu Creek – Bridge and MouthGambia127 records
- RN TechnopoleSenegal120 records
- Kotu CreekGambia117 records
- Pirang Fish PondsGambia88 records
- Toubacouta – Mangrove et brousseSenegal84 records
- Tanji Bird ReserveGambia74 records
- Abuko NRGambia74 records
Countries and regions with the most records
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-chested swallow (Hirundo lucida) is a small non-migratory passerine bird found in West Africa, the Congo Basin and Ethiopia. It has a long, deeply forked tail and curved, pointed wings.
Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia
Questions
How big is the Red-chested Swallow?
The Red-chested Swallow weighs around 13 g.
Where does the Red-chested Swallow live?
Its breeding range: Africa: central, western, northeastern. It is most often recorded in Gambia, Senegal and Ghana.
When is the best time to see the Red-chested Swallow?
At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in January and November (Northern Hemisphere).
Is the Red-chested Swallow endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the Red-chested Swallow as Least Concern.
What does the Red-chested Swallow eat?
Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.
What family is the Red-chested Swallow in?
It belongs to the family Swallows, Martins (Hirundinidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).
At a glance
- Weight
- 13 g
- Habitat
- Towns & farmland
- Diet
- Insects & other invertebrates
- Lifestyle
- Feeds in the air
- Migration
- Resident (barely migrates)
- Conservation
- Least Concern
More measurements
- Wing
- 112 mm
- Tail
- 62 mm
- Bill
- 12 mm
- Tarsus
- 10 mm
Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.
Range
Africa: central, western, northeastern
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 SwallowHirundo atrocaerulea
Black-and-rufous SwallowHirundo nigrorufa
Pearl-breasted SwallowHirundo dimidiata
Hill SwallowHirundo domicola
Pacific SwallowHirundo javanica
Tahiti SwallowHirundo tahitica
Pied-winged SwallowHirundo leucosoma
White-tailed SwallowHirundo megaensis
Welcome SwallowHirundo neoxena
Barn SwallowHirundo rustica
Ethiopian SwallowHirundo aethiopica
Angola SwallowHirundo angolensis
Download illustration
Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Steve Garvie. ↗
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