Picture is of the nominate subspecies N.c.cyanoleuca.
Photo by Robert scanlon
Location: La Suiza Nature Reserve, near Pereira, Colombia
Photo by Robert scanlon
Location: La Suiza Nature Reserve, near Pereira, Colombia
- Notiochelidon cyanoleuca
Identification
11-12 cm. Dark blue upperparts, white underparts, blackish underwings and undersurface of tail. Juvenile - brown above, buff below, and less forked tail.
Distribution
Nicaragua and South America.
Taxonomy
Three subspecies are recognized: (1) The nominate N. c. cyanoleuca occurs Central America south to mid-South America. (2) The migratory southern race, N. c. patagonica. (3) N. c. peruviana on the western slope of the Andes in Peru up to 2500m.
Habitat
Common and widespread, especially in agricultural and urban areas upto 4000m.
Behaviour
Both sexes build a shallow nest from straw. 6 white eggsare laid and are incubated by both parents for 15 days. Both parents feed the young for 26 days to fledgings. There may be two broods.
The diet includes insects caught aerially.
