Wildlifeof China
Wire-tailed Swallow
Swallows & Martins
Photo: Didier Descouens · CC BY-SA 4.0
Hirundo smithii
Basic stats
Diet
Flying insects, especially flies
Habitat
Open country near water and human habitation
Range
Africa and southern to southeastern Asia
Clutch size
Up to 5 eggs in Asia
Size
18cm
The wire-tailed swallow is an 18cm swallow with bright blue upperparts, white underparts and a chestnut crown. Adults have exceptionally elongated outer tail feathers resembling wires; females have shorter wires, while juveniles lack them and have dull brown crowns. It inhabits open country near water and settlements, catching airborne insects—especially flies—during fast, low flight. Its mud-lined half-bowl nest is attached beneath ledges, bridges or buildings near water, with Asian clutches containing as many as five eggs. (Wikipedia, general species account)
Quick answers
- What does the Wire-tailed Swallow eat?
- Flying insects, especially flies
- What habitat does the Wire-tailed Swallow live in?
- Open country near water and human habitation
- Where is the Wire-tailed Swallow found?
- Africa and southern to southeastern Asia
- How many eggs does the Wire-tailed Swallow lay?
- Up to 5 eggs in Asia
- How big is the Wire-tailed Swallow?
- 18cm