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The barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) is the most widespread species of swallow in the world, occurring on all continents, with vagrants reported even in Antarctica. [ 2 ] [ 3 ] It is a distinctive passerine bird with blue upperparts and a long, deeply forked tail.
The genus name is Latin for a swallow. [1] These are the typical swallows, including the widespread barn swallow. Many of this group have blue backs, red on the face and sometimes the rump or nape, and whitish or rufous underparts. With fifteen species this genus is the largest in its family.
Because of the long human experience with these conspicuous species, many myths and legends have arisen as a consequence, particularly relating to the barn swallow. [11] Roman historian Pliny the Elder described a use of painted swallows to deliver a report of the winning horses at a race. [ 53 ]
The alternative genus Hirundo is the Latin word for "swallow". [7] Some authorities consider the West African swallow to be a subspecies of the red-rumped swallow. [8] Eight subspecies are recognised: [9] C. d. daurica (Laxmann, 1769) – northeast Kazakhstan and Mongolia to central south China
This species does not normally use the reed-bed roosts favoured by migrating barn swallows. [16] [17] It uses similar open habitats on the wintering grounds, but the western house martin is less conspicuous than wintering barn swallows, tending to fly higher and be more nomadic.
This species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae, and originally named Hirundo riparia; the description consisted of the simple "H[irundo] cinerea, gula abdomineque albis" ("an ash-grey swallow, with white throat and belly") and the type locality was simply given as "Europa", [3] subsequently refined to refer to Linnaeus's homeland of Sweden. [4]
This is a list of the bird species recorded in South Korea. ... Barn swallow, Hirundo rustica; Pacific swallow, Hirundo tahitica (A) Red-rumped swallow, Cecropis daurica;
Barn swallow, Hirundo rustica; Cliff swallow, Petrochelidon pyrrhonota; ... Many species have distinctive black head patterns (especially males) and long, regularly ...