Colours
Distinguishing features
They have blue upperparts and dusky underparts.
They resemble Barn Swallow, but are darker below and have pale or reddish rumps, face and neck collar. They lack a breast band, but have black undertails.
They have broad but pointed wings. (Wikipedia)
Size
- From 16 cm to 18 cm (Length of specimen)
Wingspan
- Wingspan data is not yet available.
Synonyms
Distribution
©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution
Distribution and habitat preferences
It breeds across southern Europe and Asia east to southern Siberia and Japan, These populations, along with Moroccan birds, are migratory, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa or south Asia. There are resident races in Africa in a broad belt from West Africa east to Ethiopia and then south to Tanzania, and most Indian and Sri Lanka breeders are also year-round residents. The African and Asian subspecies may undertake local seasonal movements. This species is a regular vagrant outside its breeding range.
They are usually found over grassland where they hawk insects. They may sometimes take advantage of grass fires and grazing cattle that flush insects into the air. (Wikipedia)
Local abundance
- Australia: Uncommon visitor to northern shores.
