Birdsong field guide
Blue-and-white Swallow
Pygochelidon cyanoleuca
A small, common Neotropical swallow distinguished by its glossy steel-blue upperparts and starkly contrasting white underparts. It is highly adaptable, frequently seen darting over open landscapes and urban areas throughout much of Central and South America.
What it sounds like
A dry, buzzy, and rapid 'tzee-tzee-tzee' or a thin, descending rattling trill.
Reference call, compare with what you heard
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Field notes
- Southern populations are migratory, traveling north as far as the Amazon basin during the austral winter.
- It often nests in man-made structures, utilizing crevices in buildings, bridges, and walls in addition to natural cavities.
- The species possesses distinctive dark undertail coverts, which helps differentiate it from the similar Tree Swallow.
- It is known to forage at lower altitudes than many other swallow species, often patrolling just above fields or water surfaces.
- It was formerly placed in the genus Notiochelidon before being reassigned to Pygochelidon based on phylogenetic data.
Habitat
Open areas including agricultural land, clearings, and urban environments, often near water sources.
Range
Widespread from Costa Rica south through the Andes and across most of South America to Tierra del Fuego.
Similar & commonly confused birds
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