Gray-rumped Swallow Pseudhirundo griseopyga Scientific name definitions

14 cm; 8–12 g. Crown and ear-coverts to hindneck are dark brown; back and wings glossy dark blue, rump and upper­tail-coverts grey-brown; tail strongly forked, dark brown with blue gloss; underparts all white, pinkish wash from chin to breast in fresh plumage. Distinguished from other hirundinids by combination of deeply forked tail without white spots and grey rump. Sexes alike. Juvenile is browner with pale feather fringes above , abdomen and flanks grey, rest of underparts white with buff-pink wash, greyer near breast and side of neck, tail shorter . Race <em>melbina</em> has darker brown rump than nominate.

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Open areas such as floodplains, grassland, savanna or open woodland, often near water. In both lowland and upland areas, to c. 2200 m in E Africa and 2300 m in Malawi. Often feeds over burnt and cleared ground; roosts in reeds, also recorded as roosting on bare ground.

Not well understood. Forms large non-breeding flocks, usually up to c. 200 individuals, sometimes to 3000; often moves away from breeding sites in rainy season. Resident on R Congo and in Ethiopia. Movements not clear in W & C Africa, but local shifts in some areas; occurs Nov–Feb in Gambia, and is a partial migrant in Liberia; sporadic in Nigeria. Numbers vary seasonally in E Africa. Usually present Apr–Oct in Zimbabwe, but resident in dry years. Recorded mainly Apr–Oct in Botswana, Apr–Sept in E South Africa and Mar–Sept in Zambia; those populations possibly spend non-breeding season in Mozambique. Several records outside main range, e.g. Mali, N Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Benin, N DRCongo; even three in S Atlantic off Angola.

Diet includes beetles (Coleoptera) and flies (Diptera). Forages mainly low over water, also over open ground and around tree canopies, at average height of 8 m, often with other hirundines. Flight weak and erratic. Sometimes lands to eat insect caught in flight. Follows tractors to feed on flushed insects.

Not very vocal; song is a weak twittering; also a grating  “chraa” in flight.

Mainly in dry season, also sometimes breeding opportunistically to take advantage of good conditions: Nov–May in W Africa, Mar–Apr and Dec in Ethiopia, May, Jul–Oct and Mar (peak Aug–Sept) in E Africa, Aug–Sept in Angola, Jul–Sept in Zambia and Mozambique, Jul–Nov (peak Jul–Aug) in Zimbabwe, and May–Dec (peak Jun–Aug) in South Africa. Solitary or in small groups of 3–10 pairs; sometimes near Riparia congica in DRCongo. Digs burrow up to c. 1 m long at steep angle into ground in open situation, e.g. sandbar, dune, ploughed field, golf course, various kinds of sports field, or airfield, also recorded in grass-covered, gently sloping riverbank; rodent holes, old kingfisher (Alcedinidae) or bee-eater (Merops) burrows and holes in termite (Isoptera) mounds also used; nest-chamber lined with grass. Clutch 1–5 eggs (2–3 near equator); incubation and fledging periods not documented. Nests often flooded if rain falls.

Not globally threatened. Scarce to uncommon in some areas, locally common or abundant in others. Generally scarce in W Africa, but locally not uncommon in Liberia; rare in Sudan, locally abundant in Ethiopia; uncommon in E Africa; common on R Congo and in DRCongo, Zambia and Malawi; locally common in Botswana (in N), Zimbabwe (Mashonaland Plateau) and E South Africa; formerly bred along coast of KwaZulu-Natal but now confined to NE. Fairly adaptable; does not use artificial nests, but sometimes nests on fields and other sites associated with human settlements.