Order
Passeriformes
Family
Hirundinidae
Genus
Tachycineta
 
Neotropical Birds logo
Version 1.0

This is a historic version of this account.  Current version

SPECIES

White-winged Swallow Tachycineta albiventer

Carolyn W. Sedgwick
Version: 1.0 — Published April 15, 2010

Conservation

The White-winged Swallow is listed as a species of Least Concern on the IUCN global Red List of Threatened Species due to its extensive range. Although population size has not been thoroughly examined, the White-winged Swallow is fairly common and its populations appear stable.

Effects of human activity on populations

No information is available that pertains specifically to White-winged Swallows, but for swallows in generals, humans can have both positive and negative effects on populations. Swallows around the world often gain the benefit of additional nesting locations due to human presence. In some parts of the world, swallows are seen as good luck, making humans more careful not to disturb their nesting sites (Turner and Rose 1989). However, humans have threatened a number of swallow species through land use change, causing swallow nesting habitat to decline. Side effects of pollution and pesticide use by human also negatively affects many swallows, especially by reducing the number of insects and thus the food supply for many swallows. No information is available that pertains specifically to White-winged Swallows, but for swallows in generals, humans can have both positive and negative effects on populations. Swallows around the world often gain the benefit of additional nesting locations due to human presence. In some parts of the world, swallows are seen as good luck, making humans more careful not to disturb their nesting sites (Turner and Rose 1989). Although the White-winged Swallow primarily forages near rivers and water bodies, it has been observed in pastures, making pesticide application in agricultural areas a possible threat.

Recommended Citation

Sedgwick, C. W. (2010). White-winged Swallow (Tachycineta albiventer), version 1.0. In Neotropical Birds Online (T. S. Schulenberg, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/nb.whwswa1.01