Order
Passeriformes
Family
Hirundinidae
Genus
Tachycineta
 
Neotropical Birds logo
Version 1.0

This is a historic version of this account.  Current version

 - Mangrove Swallow
 - Mangrove Swallow
Listen

Mangrove Swallow Tachycineta albilinea

F. E. Buderman
Version: 1.0 — Published May 17, 2010

Sign in to see your badges

Introduction

The Mangrove Swallow (Tachycineta albilinea), is a relatively small swallow.  It is a common resident from Mexico to south Panama, predominantly along the coast, becoming rarer moving inland.  The Mangrove Swallow is associated with areas of water, including mangroves, but may be found near rivers, lakes, ponds, marshes, coastal beaches, and wet meadows.  It is an aerial insectivore, and outside of the breeding season it may forage in large groups.  During the breeding season they are socially monogamous and breeding pairs are highly territorial of their nests. These nests usually are located in crevices in partially submerged snags and logs.  The upperparts are dark, part from a white rump; in fresh plumage the color is nearly black with a green-blue gloss, but with wear the color becomes closer to steel-blue.  The underparts are white with a gray wash.  A characteristic feature that distinguishes the Mangrove Swallow from other white-rumped swallows is the white supraloral streak.

Distribution of the Mangrove Swallow - Range Map
Enlarge
  • Year-round
  • Migration
  • Breeding
  • Non-Breeding
Distribution of the Mangrove Swallow

Recommended Citation

Buderman, F. E. (2010). Mangrove Swallow (Tachycineta albilinea), version 1.0. In Neotropical Birds Online (T. S. Schulenberg, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/nb.manswa1.01