LC
South African Swallow Petrochelidon spilodera



Taxonomy

Taxonomic note

Petrochelidon spilodera (del Hoyo and Collar 2016) was previously listed as Hirundo spilodera.

 

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A., Fishpool, L.D.C., Boesman, P. and Kirwan, G.M. 2016. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 2: Passerines. Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.

IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable
- - -

Red List history
Year Category Criteria
2024 Least Concern
2016 Least Concern
2012 Least Concern
2009 Least Concern
2008 Least Concern
2004 Least Concern
2000 Lower Risk/Least Concern
1994 Lower Risk/Least Concern
1988 Lower Risk/Least Concern
Species attributes

Migratory status full migrant Forest dependency does not normally occur in forest
Land-mass type Average mass 21 g
Range

Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) 1,810,000 km2 medium
Extent of Occurrence (non-breeding) 419,000 km2 medium
Severely fragmented? no -
Population
Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
Population size unknown - - -
Population trend increasing - estimated -
Generation length 2.66 years - - -

Population justification: The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is reported to breed commonly (Keith et al. 1992). The population is estimated to be increasing following a recorded range expansion, perhaps linked to the availability of artificial nest-sites (del Hoyo et al. 2004).

Trend justification: The population is estimated to be increasing following a recorded range expansion, perhaps linked to the availability of artificial nest-sites (del Hoyo et al. 2004).


Country/territory distribution
Country/Territory Presence Origin Resident Breeding visitor Non-breeding visitor Passage migrant
Botswana extant native
Congo extant vagrant
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the extant native
Gabon extant vagrant
Lesotho extant vagrant
Malawi extant vagrant
Namibia extant native
South Africa extant native
Zambia extant vagrant
Zimbabwe extant native

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Country/Territory IBA Name

Habitats & altitude
Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Artificial/Aquatic & Marine Artificial/Aquatic - Excavations (open) suitable breeding
Artificial/Terrestrial Rural Gardens suitable breeding
Artificial/Terrestrial Urban Areas suitable breeding
Grassland Subtropical/Tropical Dry major non-breeding
Grassland Subtropical/Tropical Dry major breeding
Savanna Dry major non-breeding
Savanna Dry major breeding
Shrubland Subtropical/Tropical Dry suitable breeding
Altitude 0 - 2700 m Occasional altitudinal limits  

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: South African Swallow Petrochelidon spilodera. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/south-african-swallow-petrochelidon-spilodera on 22/12/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 22/12/2024.