A small bird that is often spotted perched on high places such as cables and antennae, the Pacific swallow is most easily identified by their forked tail and long wings which forms a graceful arc when it flies. Unlike the similar-looking swift that hunts while flying, the Pacific swallow hunts from its perch, demonstrating its speed and agility by performing aerial maneuvers to catch its prey, which consists primarily small insects. The Pacific swallow has a red face and breast, glossy blue wings and upperparts, light grey under-parts and a slightly forked brown tail. It builds its nest on sheltered vertical surfaces like the eaves of buildings and ventilation holes, sometimes forming large nesting colonies in suitable areas like abandoned buildings. The Pacific swallow’s call is either a short, shrill tweet or a longer flurry of twittering. |
