Scientific Name: Hirundo rustica
Malay Name: Layang-layang Hijrah
Chinese Name: 家燕
Range: Breeding Range: (Worldwide) widespread
Taxonomy: Polytypic. Subspecies are: rustica, savignii, transitiva, tytleri, gutturalis, saturata, mandschurica, erythrogaster.
Local Subspecies: mandschurica, gutturalis, saturata
Size: 15 cm
Identification: Forehead rufous chestnut, upperparts steel blue, pale or rufous underparts, variable depending on subspecies. Told apart from Pacific Swallow by presence of steel-blue breastband. Told apart from sand martin by more deeply forked tail.
Similar looking species: Sand Martin, Pacific Swallow, Asian House Martin, Eastern Red-rumped Swallow, Siberian House Martin
Habitat: Widespread.
Behaviour/Ecology: Told apart from other airborne birds by flying by sweeping wings backwards.
Local Status: Very common migrant
Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2019)
Location: Widespread.
- Rufous Barn Swallows in Singapore? (Science)
- Singapore Bird Database is 1 year old (Science)
- Top 10 most observed birds in Singapore and the region (Science)
Featured reports: Jul 2024
Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):
Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page
Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link
Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link
eBird Species page: eBird (Barn Swallow)
References:
BirdLife International. (2019). Hirundo rustica. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T22712252A137668645.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023
RECOMMENDED CITATION
Bird Society of Singapore. (n.d.). Barn Swallow. Retrieved on December 6, 2024 from https://singaporebirds.com/species/barn-swallow.