Wire Tailed Swallow

The Wire-tailed Swallow (Hirundo smithii) is a small passerine bird in the swallow family. Swallows are somewhat similar in habits and appearance to other aerial insectivores, such as the related martins and the unrelated swifts.

Wire-tailed Swallow breeds in tropical southern Asia from the Indian subcontinent east to Southeast Asia. It is mainly resident, but populations in northern India migrate further south in winter.

This bird is found in open country near water and human habitation. Wire-tailed Swallows are fast flyers and they generally feed on insects, especially flies, while airborne. They are typically seen low over water, with which they are more closely associated than most swallows. The neat half-bowl nests are lined with mud collected in the swallows' beaks. They are placed on vertical surfaces near water under cliff ledges or more commonly on man-made structures such as buildings and bridges. The clutch is up to five eggs.

These birds are solitary and territorial nesters, unlike many swallows, which tend to be colonial. This striking species is a small swallow at 14 cm in length. It has bright blue upperparts, except for a chestnut crown and white spots on the tail. The under parts are white, with darker flight feathers. There is a blue mask through the eye.

This species gets its name from the very long filamentous outermost tail feathers, which trail behind like two wires. Sexes manifest similar appearances, but the female has shorter "wires". Juveniles have a brown crown, back and tail.

This pair has built its cup like nest in an uninhabited, partially built house in my neighborhood. they fly so fast and the song is a trilling call which delights me all day long. in the afternoons they sit on this wire that loops from the roof and the male serenades his mate or so it seems to me. they sit there for long times in the scorching heat. As soon as it cools down, they take off in search of food perhaps.

 

Today I spent an hour in the compound and then they realized I was harmless and came to perch at their favorite swing and all the time I was photographing them the male kept on its beautiful song.

It was such a rewarding moment that I at once thought of sharing it with all of you. I hope you like it.