Birdsong field guide
White-winged Swallow
Tachycineta albiventer
A small, aerial insectivore easily distinguished by its prominent white wing patches and its strong dependency on freshwater environments.
What it sounds like
A series of rapid, thin, and buzzy 'zweet' or 'cheet' notes, often delivered in a descending chatter.
Reference call, compare with what you heard
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Field notes
- The species possesses a diagnostic white bar on the wing formed by the greater coverts and inner secondaries, visible both in flight and at rest.
- It is a secondary cavity nester, typically utilizing holes in dead trees or snags that protrude directly from rivers or lakes.
- Unlike many other Tachycineta species, it is rarely found far from water, as it relies on aquatic insect emergence for foraging.
- Adults exhibit a brilliant blue-green iridescent sheen on their upperparts, which contrasts sharply with their pure white underparts.
- While mostly sedentary, populations in the southern part of their range may undergo short-distance seasonal migrations following weather patterns.
Habitat
Tropical lowlands in close proximity to large rivers, lakes, mangroves, and seasonally flooded savannas.
Range
Widespread across South America, including the Amazon Basin, the Guianas, and south to northern Argentina and Paraguay.
Similar & commonly confused birds
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