Hirundo angolensis
Silhouette: Matt Wilkins · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~50%
The Angola swallow (Hirundo angolensis) is a species of swallow that is native to the Afrotropics. They measure 15 cm and weigh 16 to 19 g. The plumage of the forehead, throat and upper breast is coloured deep rufous-chestnut. The crown and upperparts are a shiny steel-blue. Flight and tail feathers are black, the latter with large white windows.
They frequent a variety of open habitats up to the fringes of forest, whether altered by man or natural. Their diet consists of a variety of flying insects. They may forage alone or in flocks, and emit a weak twittering. Their breeding season and abundance depends much on their region of residence, and a few undertake migrations.
It is found in Angola, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. It has been considered conspecific with the Red-chested swallow, but is generally taken as a full species in a species complex that includes Barn, Red-chested, Pacific, Welcome, White-throated and Ethiopian swallows.
There are two subspecies, but intermediate forms occur: H. a. angolensis – type from... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nyungwe National Park | 🇷🇼 Rwanda | |
| 2 | Bwindi Impenetrable National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 3 | Virunga National Park | 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
| 4 | Kibale National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 5 | Akagera National Park | 🇷🇼 Rwanda | |
| 6 | Queen Elizabeth National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 7 | Murchison Falls National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 8 | Lake Mburo National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 9 | Semuliki National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 10 | Volcanoes National Park | 🇷🇼 Rwanda | |
| 11 | Masai Mara National Reserve | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 12 | Serengeti National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 13 | Kidepo Valley National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kigali | 🇷🇼 Rwanda | |
| 2 | Luanda | 🇦🇴 Angola | |
| 3 | Kampala | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 4 | Brazzaville | 🇨🇬 Republic of the Congo |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report an Angola Swallow sighting in Luanda on a given day, based on 14 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 24th most-seen of the 45 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report an Angola Swallow in Luanda on a given day, against under 5% in January, July and October, the lowest months. That is one of Luanda's wettest months, with about 80 mm of rain against almost none in July. February–March, June and December have too few records to rate.
Between 7 and 10 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Angola Swallow sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 4 cities where we can rate Angola Swallow sightings, Luanda ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Kigali (Rwanda, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Angola Swallow is recorded against all the birds logged in Luanda (14 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
