Red-rumped Swallow (Hirundo daurica)
Order: PASSERIFORMES
Family: HIRUNDINIDAE Swallows
Scientific name: Hirundo daurica
English name: Red-rumped Swallow
Characteristic: Size 18 cm. A small aerial-feeding bird with deeply-forked tail. It can be told apart from the common Barn Swallow by having reddish brown rump; no dark breast band; black under tail coverts highly contrasting to yellowish white underpart; in addition, it has dark streaking all over the underpart and also wider wings.
Distribution: Africa, Eurasia, India, China, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, the Andamans, the Sundas and the Philippines.
Habitat: Hawking for insects above the grass fields and above the forest canopies, seen from the plain to the high altitude of 2,565 m.
Habit: Seen in large flocks, flying backwards and forwards for air-borne insects throughout the day. Sometimes in mixed flocks with other swallows. At rest, they perch on dry twigs, electric wires, rock ledges, cliff faces etc. Its nesting time falls between April and August; nest is cylinder-shaped clay structure attached firmly to ceilings, cave walls or rock ledges or on buildings. Apart from muddy clay, it also uses grasses, feathers and its own droppings to incorporate into the nest. The normal egg clutch is 3-4 white eggs with reddish brown spots and streaks. The incubation time is 14-15 days.
Status: Being both a resident and a non-breeding migrant; quite uncommon in Sakaerat forest. By law, this swallow is protected as a protected wild animal.
