Swallows and Martins (Hirundinidae)
Wire-tailed Swallow (Hirundo smithii) - HBW 9, p. 668
French: Hirondelle à longs brins
German: Rotkappenschwalbe
Spanish: Golondrina Colilarga
Other common names: African Wire-tailed Swallow (smithii); Asian Wire-tailed Swallow (filifera)
Taxonomy: Hirundo Smithii Leach, 1818, Chisalla Island, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Sometimes considered to form a superspecies with H. nigrita, but substantial plumage and other morphological differences, combined with extent of range overlap in Africa (Congo Basin), make this unlikely. Two subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- smithii Leach, 1818 - sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal, S Mali and C Ivory Coast E to C & S Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia, and S (outside C rainforest zone) to N Namibia, N Botswana and NE South Africa.
- filifera Stephens, 1826 - S Uzbekistan, S Tadjikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, SW Nepal, Myanmar, N Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and C Vietnam.
- Least Concern Enlarge map
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An adult male perched on an electric wire, preening and stretching wings and tail. Locality Dasada, Surendranagar District, Gujarat, India (ssp filifera)
Josep del Hoyo 18 February 2011 1 year ago 22 sec 4.6 -
Frontal view of an adult female preening on a wire. Locality Dasada, Surendranagar District, Gujarat, India (ssp filifera)
Josep del Hoyo 18 February 2011 1 year ago 24 sec 4.5 -
An adult male preening on an electric wire. Locality Dasada, Surendranagar District, Gujarat, India (ssp filifera)
Josep del Hoyo 18 February 2011 1 year ago 23 sec 4.3 -
An individual perched on the railings of a travelling boat and briefly singing Locality Victoria Falls, Matabeleland North Province, Zimbabwe (ssp smithii)
Greg Baker 14 September 1999 1 year ago 38 sec 4.3 -
A juvenile bird preening on a wire. Locality Dasada, Surendranagar District, Gujarat, India (ssp filifera)
Josep del Hoyo 18 February 2011 1 year ago 23 sec 4 -
Two birds on a wire, one flies away. Locality Afar Plains, Afar Region, Ethiopia (ssp smithii)
Josep del Hoyo 27 November 2005 7 years ago 29 sec 3.9 -
An adult male and a juvenile perched on a wire, preening. Locality Dasada, Surendranagar District, Gujarat, India (ssp filifera)
Josep del Hoyo 18 February 2011 1 year ago 27 sec 3.9 -
A bird on a wire, stretching its wings and preening. Locality Afar Plains, Afar Region, Ethiopia (ssp smithii)
Josep del Hoyo 27 November 2005 7 years ago 47 sec 3.8 -
An adult male perched on a post looking around. Locality Chambal Safari Boating Platform, Chambal River, Rajasthan, India (ssp filifera)
Josep del Hoyo 27 February 2011 1 year ago 17 sec 3.7 -
A bird perched with its bill opened. Locality Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda (ssp smithii)
Eldert Groenewoud 24 February 2008 4 years ago 19 sec 3.7 -
A bird preening at the edge of the Nile River Locality Paraa Safari Lodge, Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda (ssp smithii)
Josep del Hoyo 28 August 2006 6 years ago 40 sec 3.6 -
An adult preening itself Locality Kavdi, Pune Division, Maharashtra, India (ssp filifera)
Chandrahas Kolhatkar 3 December 2002 7 years ago 27 sec 3.6 -
An adult preening itself on a river bank Locality Kavdi, Pune Division, Maharashtra, India (ssp filifera)
Chandrahas Kolhatkar 3 December 2002 7 years ago 19 sec 3.5 -
A group of birds perched on a wire, two of them adults (on the center). Locality Dasada, Surendranagar District, Gujarat, India (ssp filifera)
Josep del Hoyo 18 February 2011 1 year ago 24 sec 3.4 -
An individual perched on a rock with material for the nest looking around and flying away. Locality Moti Virani, Kutch District, Gujarat, India (ssp filifera)
Josep del Hoyo 16 February 2011 1 year ago 23 sec 3.4 -
Three birds on a wire. Locality Afar Plains, Afar Region, Ethiopia (ssp smithii)
Josep del Hoyo 27 November 2005 7 years ago 41 sec 3.4 -
Calling on a wire in morning Locality Jaipur District, Rajasthan, India (ssp filifera)
RAM GOPAL SONI 13 February 2009 3 years ago 18 sec 3.3 -
A bird on the ground Locality Amboseli National Park, Kenya (ssp smithii)
Jean Hupperetz 30 November 2003 9 years ago 27 sec 3.2 -
one small bird usually seen near river... Locality Ahmedabad, Ahmedabad District, Gujarat, India
drshaileshdarjimd 23 July 2012 44 weeks ago 19 sec 3 -
Juveniles and female on ground Locality Chandlai, Tonk District, Rajasthan, India (ssp filifera)
RAM GOPAL SONI 5 May 2010 3 years ago 33 sec 3 -
small flock in Acacia tree Locality Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India (ssp filifera)
RAM GOPAL SONI 1 July 2003 3 years ago 15 sec 3 -
An individual in flight and then perched on a log Locality Mana Pools National Park, Mashonaland West Province, Zimbabwe (ssp smithii)
Greg Baker 10 September 1999 1 year ago 17 sec 2.7
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