Cecropis daurica
The Eastern Red-rumped Swallow (Cecropis daurica) is a graceful and agile aerial insectivore belonging to the Hirundinidae family, distinguished by its vibrant rufous rump and underparts. Measuring approximately 16-19 cm in length with a wingspan of 30-33 cm and weighing 17-25 grams, its upperparts are glossy iridescent blue-black, contrasting sharply with a creamy-white to buff-orange throat and breast, which can be subtly streaked or unmarked depending on subspecies, and a prominent rufous ...
This species thrives in open landscapes, including grasslands, agricultural fields, savannas, and dry scrubland, often near water sources and rock faces or human-made structures suitable for nesting. It is found from sea level up to moderate elevations of 2,000 meters in some parts of its range.
The diet of the Eastern Red-rumped Swallow consists almost exclusively of a wide variety of aerial insects, including flies, beetles, moths, and aphids, caught with impressive agility during sustained flight.
Eastern Red-rumped Swallows are highly diurnal, spending most of their daylight hours tirelessly hawking for insects in the air, often returning to communal roosts at night, especially outside the breeding season, which can number in the thousands. Their foraging strategy involves agile, high-spe...
The Eastern Red-rumped Swallow boasts an extensive distribution, breeding across Southern Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, extending eastward through Central Asia, India, China, and Southeast Asia, reaching as far as Japan and Korea. Its wintering grounds are primarily located in sub-Sa...
Least Concern
- The Eastern Red-rumped Swallow constructs one of the most elaborate mud nests among swallows, a distinctive gourd-shape with a long, tubular entrance tunnel, requiring thousands of mud pellets. - Its scientific name, *Cecropis daurica*, refers to 'Dauria,' an historical region east of Lake Baik...