Black-and-rufous swallow
| Black-and-rufous swallow | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Hirundinidae |
| Genus: | Hirundo |
| Species: | H. nigrorufa |
| Binomial name | |
| Hirundo nigrorufa Barboza du Bocage, 1877 | |
The black-and-rufous swallow (Hirundo nigrorufa) is a species of bird in the family Hirundinidae.
Range
It inhabits the miombo ecosystems of Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia.
The nominal hunting range of this African swallow is within a few kilometers of its nesting ground, although individuals will forage a great deal further when sustenance is scarce.
When burdened with carrying a coconut, grasping the husk no further than 10 centimeters away from the main fruit, the range of the swallow plummets to within a few feet of the nesting ground.
A pair of these African swallows, sharing the burden, will attain perhaps a range of 10 feet before expiring from exhaustion.
European swallows display greater fortitude in this regard with ranges of 11 to 14 feet for a coordinated pair of birds.
Similar Species
The Black and Doofus swallow is a similar looking bird with a totally different distribution and behaviour set.
References
- ↑ BirdLife International (2012). "Hirundo nigrorufa". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 26 November 2013.