Pacific Swallow (Hirundo javanica) lives in open grasslands across Tropical southern Asia and the islands of the south Pacific. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Hear the Pacific Swallow
A real field recording of the Pacific Swallow, made in the wild.
Subfossil bones show that an unnamed form of the Pacific swallow once lived only on Henderson Island, confirming the species once had an extinct island population. This extinct subspecies was endemic to that single island, meaning it was found nowhere else. The discovery highlights how the swallow's range once included isolated islands beyond its current distribution across many Pacific archipelagos.
The Pacific swallow builds a neat cup-shaped nest from mud pellets it carries in its beak, placing the structure under cliff ledges or on human constructions such as buildings, bridges or tunnels. Inside, the nest is lined with softer material, providing a cushioned base for the clutch of two to three eggs. This nesting habit mirrors that of other aerial insectivores, which also use mud to fashion compact, sheltered cups for their young.
Measuring just 13 cm in length, the Pacific swallow is a small aerial insectivore that darts through the air with remarkable speed. While in flight it captures insects, showing a particular preference for flies, which it snatches on the wing. Its rapid, agile flight style is typical of swallows and enables it to exploit abundant airborne prey.
The Pacific swallow displays a striking colour pattern that makes it easy to recognise in the field. Its back and crown are a deep blue-black, while the wings and tail take on a browner hue, and a vivid red colours the face and throat, contrasting with the dusky underparts. Measuring just 13 cm in length, this small swallow carries its bold plumage across the tropical coasts and upland forests it inhabits.
The Pacific swallow has a noticeably shorter and less deeply forked tail than the barn swallow and the closely related welcome swallow. This compact tail complements its fast, agile flight as it darts after insects in the air.
Sources
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RangeTropical southern Asia and the islands of the south Pacific
HabitatOpen grasslands
DietInsects and spiders
About the Pacific Swallow
As the sun rises over the tropical landscapes of the Pacific, a diminutive yet dynamic figure takes to the skies, the Pacific Swallow dancing on the breeze with its characteristic forked tail streaming behind. With a mesmerizing fluidity, it weaves and darts through the air, its agile form a testament to the wonders of evolution as it pursues the tiny insects that sustain it. In its effortless, aerial acrobatics, the Pacific Swallow embodies the very essence of freedom and joy, a fleeting glimpse of which is a privilege to behold.
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