Brown-bellied Swallow

Overview

The brown-bellied swallow (Orochelidon murina) is a species of bird in the family Hirundinidae, commonly known as the swallows and martins. It is classified as a species of Least Concern by the IUCN, with a stable population and a very large range across South America.

Identification

• Approximately 14 cm long and weighing around 12.5 g, with sexes having similar plumage though females are duller than males.
• Adult males possess a mostly blackish head and neck with a blue-green gloss, sooty gray-brown throats, and blackish upperparts with a blue-green gloss.
• Underparts are mostly sooty gray-brown with black undertail coverts, while the tail is moderately forked.
• Vocalisations include a weak buzzing song, a contact call described as 'tjrip tjirp-tjrip-tjirp', and a deep, buzzy 'tchjet' that may extend to 'tchjet-djshhhhEW'.

Habitat

Native to the Andes of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela, the species inhabits open to semi-open landscapes such as grasslands, shrublands, elfin forest, and areas near water. It occupies a disjunct distribution with different subspecies found at varying elevations, typically ranging between 2,000 and 4,300 m depending on the location.

Diet

The brown-bellied swallow feeds on insects captured in mid-air, though its specific dietary composition is not known in detail. It forages singly, in pairs, or in flocks of up to about 30 individuals, usually flying low and directly over the ground but also circling high in the air.

Did you know?

The bird builds its nests from grass and moss with a feather lining within cavities such as cliffs, road cuttings, or human habitation. Its breeding season is not fully defined but is known to include at least September and October in Colombia and Ecuador.