Bahama Swallow

The Bahama Swallow (Tachycineta cyaneoviridis) is a swallow found only in the Bahamas.

Physical description

This glossy Tachycineta swallow has a green head and back, blue upper wings, a black tail and wingtips, and a white belly and chin.

Range and habitat

This swallow breeds only in pineyards on four islands in the northern Bahamas: Andros, Grand Bahama, Abaco, and New Providence.^[1] The breeding population on New Providence is, at the very least, greatly reduced from historical levels, and may in fact be extirpated as a breeding species [2]. The Bahama Swallow winters throughout the Bahamas and perhaps in eastern Cuba, but in general the full extent wintering range is poorly known [3]. It is a rare vagrant elsewhere during migration, including south Florida and the Florida Keys.^[2] It is also an occasional vagrant to the southerly Americas.^[3]

T. cyaneoviridis is a bird of the Caribbean pine forests. They are somewhat capable of adapting to urban habitat. Although they do not breed in marshland and fields, they need such habitat to forage; like all swallows they feed on flying insects.

Reproduction

Bahama Swallows nest in old woodpecker holes in Caribbean Pine (Pinus caribaea var. bahamensis), using pine needles, Casuarina twigs, and grass to make the nest, and they line it with feathers from other passerines. They typically have three eggs. Incubation is 15 days and the fledging period is roughly 22 days.^[1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Allen, P (1996): Breeding biology and natural history of the Bahama Swallow Wilson bulletin 108(3);480-495 DjVu fulltext PDF fulltext
2. ^ American Ornithologists Union, (1998): Check-list of North American Birds. 7th edition. American Ornithologists Union, Washington, D.C. [1]
3. ^ Strewe, R., (2006): Primer registro de la Golondrina de Bahamas Tachycineta cyaneoviridis para Suramérica. ["First record of the Bahama Swallow T. cyaneoviridis for South America"]. Boletín de la Sociedad Antioqueña de Ornitología 16(1): 54-58. [Spanish with English abstract] PDF fulltext

• BirdLife International (2004). Tachycineta cyaneoviridis. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on 17 September 2007.