Lesser Striped Swallow (Hirundo abyssinica) in Pilanesburg National Park South Africa

    This photo was taken by my partner Allan

    Class: Aves
    Order: Passeriformes
    Family: Hirundinidae
    Genus: Hirundo
    Species: H. abyssinica

    The Lesser Striped Swallow (Hirundo abyssinica syn. Cecropis abyssinica) is a large swallow. It breeds in sub-Saharan Africa from Sierra Leone and southern Sudan south into eastern South Africa. It is partially migratory with South African birds wintering further north. West African birds leave the north of the breeding range in the dry season.

    This is a bird of wooded, mainly lowland habitats, and is replaced in montane grassland by the Greater Striped Swallow, Hirundo cucullata. It is often found around human habitation. The Lesser Striped Swallow builds a bowl-shaped mud nest with a tubular entrance on the underside of a suitable structure. The nest has a soft lining, and maybe reused in later years. The nest may be build in a cave or under a rock overhang or a tree branch. This species has benefited from its willingness to use buildings, bridges, culverts and similar structures. Given the choice, it will select a high nest site.

    The eggs are glossy white sometimes with a few brown spots; three eggs is a typical clutch. Incubation is by the female alone for 14-16 days to hatching. Both parents then feed the chicks. Fledging takes another 17-19 days, but the young birds will return to the nest to roost for a few days after the first flight.

    Lesser Swallow is 15-10 cm long. It has dark blue blue upperparts with a red rump and a rufous=chestnut crown, nape and sides of the head. The underparts are white with dark streaking, and the upper wings and underwing flight feathers are blackish-brown. The underwing coverts are tawny. The blackish tail has very long outer feathers; these are slightly longer in the male than the female. Juveniles are duller and browner, with less contrast and shorter outer tail feathers. the are five or six subspecies differing in the extent of the underpart streaking

    Lesser Striped Swallow has heavier and darker underparts striping, a deeper red rump, and a brighter head colour than the larger Greater Striped Swallow. Lesser also prefers less open habitats.

    Lesser Striped Swallow is common, and has benefited from the availability of nest site around habitation. It feeds mainly on flying insects, but has been known to eat small fruits. The flight is erratic, and the call is a nasal zeh zeh zeh zeh zeh.

    Comments and faves

    1. Rons Bird Pictures (41 months ago | reply)

      This is the best photo that I found of this species. You could not have done it better. Kudos.

      I've featured a small version of this photo with a link to you on the

      Lesser Striped Swallow, Cecropis abyssinica post at

      birdsoftheworldonline.com/lesser-striped-swal low-cecropis....

      Thanks for a great photo of this interesting bird.

      Ron

    2. kd-in-aus (31 months ago | reply)

      Nice shot. I'm glad I found this as I've got a shot of the same species sighted in Botswana and I'd had trouble trying to identify it.

    3. Nostalgic T+ Allan (31 months ago | reply)

      Nice shot! Total overstatement considering YOUR expertise & talent..... heavily in awe - some amazing photo's..................

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