white-banded swallow

The white-banded swallow was formally described in 1789 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded edition of Carl Linnaeus's Systema Naturae. He placed it with the swallows in the genus Hirundo and coined the binomial name Hirundo fasciata.{{ cite book | last=Gmelin | first=Johann Friedrich | author-link=Johann Friedrich Gmelin| year=1789 | title=Systema naturae per regna tria naturae : secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis | edition=13th | volume=1, Part 2 | language=Latin | location=Lipsiae [Leipzig] | publisher=Georg. Emanuel. Beer | page=1022 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2656517 }} Gmelin based his entry on "L'hirondelle à ceinture blanche" from Cayenne in French Guiana that had been described in 1779 by the French polymath, the Comte de Buffon. The bird was illustrated with an engraving by François-Nicolas Martinet.{{ cite book | last=Buffon | first=Georges-Louis Leclerc de | author-link=Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon | year=1779 | title=Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux | volume=6 | location=Paris | publisher=De l'Imprimerie Royale | page=278 | chapter=L'hirondelle à ceinture blanche | language=French | chapter-url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k1069718q/f689.item }}{{ cite book | last1=Buffon | first1=Georges-Louis Leclerc de | author1-link=Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon | last2=Martinet | first2=François-Nicolas | author2-link=François-Nicolas Martinet | last3=Daubenton | first3=Edme-Louis | author3-link=Edme-Louis Daubenton | last4=Daubenton | first4=Louis-Jean-Marie | author4-link=Louis-Jean-Marie Daubenton | year=1765–1783 | chapter=L'hirondelle à bande blanche sur le ventre de Cayenne | title=Planches Enluminées D'Histoire Naturelle | volume=8 | location=Paris | publisher=De L'Imprimerie Royale | at=Plate 724 | chapter-url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/35218343 }} The white-banded swallow is now one of three species placed in the genus Atticora that was introduced in 1842 by the English ornithologist John Gould. The species is monotypic: no subspecies are recognised.{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor1-link=Frank Gill (ornithologist) | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | editor3-last=Rasmussen | editor3-first=Pamela | editor3-link=Pamela Rasmussen | date=January 2023 | title=Swallows | work=IOC World Bird List Version 13.1 | url=https://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/swallows/ | publisher=International Ornithologists' Union | access-date=21 May 2023 }} The genus name Atticora is from Ancient Greek Atthi, "Athenian", and kora "maiden". Such terms were often applied to swallows and swifts. The specific fasciata is from Latin fascia, "band".{{cite book | last= Jobling | first= James A | year= 2010| title= The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names | url= https://archive.org/details/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling | publisher=Christopher Helm | location = London, United Kingdom | isbn = 978-1-4081-2501-4 | pages = [https://archive.org/details/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling/page/n60 60], 158}}

File:White-banded swallows (Atticora fasciata).jpg, Southern Amazon, Brazil]]

The white-banded swallow is a medium-sized swallow, measuring, on average, {{convert|15|cm|in|abbr=on}} and weighing {{convert|12|-|16|g|oz|abbr=on}}. They usually have a wingspan of {{convert|92|-|108|mm|in|abbr=on}}. They decline in size from north to south, but this is a gradual decline, which suggests that there is no geographical variation. It is black, except for the band on its breast, its thighs, and bars on the edge of its wings, which are all white. It also has blackish-brown underwing coverts. Their feathers have a blue-black luster. This swallow has a deeply forked tail. The sexes are similar, although the females weigh slightly more on average ({{convert|12|-|14|g|oz|abbr=on}} for the males, {{convert|12.8|-|15.8|g|oz|abbr=on}} for the females). The juveniles are noted to be duller and browner, with shorter and paler feathers.{{cite web|title=White-banded Swallow (Atticora fasciata), Neotropical Birds Online|url=http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=524876|editor=T. S. Schulenberg|last=Piland|first=Natalia|year=2010|access-date=December 21, 2016}}{{cite web |editor1-last=del Hoyo |editor1-first=Josep |editor2-last=Elliott |editor2-first=Andrew |editor3-last=Sargatal |editor3-first=Jordi |editor4-last=Christie |editor4-first=David A |editor5-last=de Juana |editor5-first=Eduardo |year=2013 |title=White-banded Swallow (Atticora fasciata) |work=Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive |url=http://www.hbw.com/species/white-banded-swallow-atticora-fasciata |publisher=Lynx Edicions |location=Barcelona |access-date=25 November 2016 |url-access=subscription }}{{cite book |title=Swallows & Martins: An Identification Guide and Handbook |last1=Turner |first1=Angela K |last2=Rose |first2=Chris |location=Boston |publisher=Houghton Mifflin |year=1989 |isbn=0-395-51174-7 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/swallowsmartinsi00turn/page/118 118–119] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/swallowsmartinsi00turn/page/118 }}

It should not be confused with the black-collared swallow, which has white underparts and throat.{{cite book | last = Hilty | first = Steven | title = Birds of Venezuela | publisher = Princeton University Press | location = Princeton | year = 2003 | isbn = 9780691092508 | page = 689}}

The call of this swallow is described as a ti-ti-tur. These swallows also have a buzzy z-z-z-z-ee-eep call, which is usually given in flight.

This bird is native to Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. It can be found to nest in tropical lowland evergreen forests near water and near both blackwater rivers and whitewater rivers, in forested areas. They are more frequently found near blackwater rivers in Columbia and Venezuela, nesting on rocky outcrops. Although they are found near water, they are rarely found over lakes. They are sometimes found over forested clearings. They usually do not occur above {{convert|800|m|ft|abbr=on}}, although they do occur up to {{convert|1400|m|ft|abbr=on}} in Columbia. These swallows are also non-migratory.

The white-banded swallow nests in a burrow. It is thought that these swallows dig their own burrows, occasionally digging nests in riverbanks when the water is low, but they most likely also use abandoned burrows. The nest is made of dry grass. They do not use artificial nesting sites. These birds usually breed alone or in small colonies. At dusk, they can also be seen to roost in small groups.

This swallow has a clutch of four to five white eggs, usually measuring {{convert|18.5|x|12.8|mm|in|abbr=on}}.{{cite book|author1=Richard Bowdler Sharpe|author2=Claude Wilmott Wyatt|title=A Monograph of the Hirundinidae: Or Family of Swallows|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wX9PAAAAYAAJ|access-date=December 22, 2016|year=1894|publisher=authors|page=495}}

These birds are insectivores and feed in the air. When foraging, they fly rapidly in a zigzag path or circle above the water, skimming the water in some cases. They occasionally perch on boulders or small outcroppings above the water. They forage low over the water and occasionally near forests, clearings, or grassy areas with bushes. They usually forage alone or in small groups, occasionally with the black-collared swallow and the white-winged swallow. Although this does happen, they usually stay closer to rocks.

Although their population is declining, this swallow is classified as a least-concern species by the IUCN. This is because of its extensive range, large population, and the fact that the population is not decreasing fast enough to be classified as vulnerable. Their range is estimated to be {{convert|7260000|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}. The reason for the decline in population of this species is the fact that they are estimated to lose 12.8—13.8% of suitable habitat over 12 years, or 3 generations.

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/factsheet/22712137 White-banded swallow Atticora fasciata, Birdlife International website]

{{Commons category|Atticora fasciata}}

{{Hirundinidae}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q1587061}}

white-banded swallow

Category:Birds of Brazil

white-banded swallow

white-banded swallow

Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot