Greater Striped Swallow.. unafraid of humans, so they say.

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Greater Striped Swallow (Cecropis cucullata)

This swallow breeds in South Africa and in winter moves North to Angola, Tanzania and southern Zaire. I wonder if it needs a passport.??

This bird loves open grassland and mountainous areas, avoids more wooded areas. It is a common bird and they say it’s unafraid of humans… now I know why they tend to sit and pose for me.

The bird builds a bowl-shaped mud nest, with a tubular entrance on the underside. It’s softly lined and is reused quite often. Caves or overhangs of rocks even fallen trees are used for nesting sites, however they benefited from using buildings, bridges, culverts and similar man-made structures.

Glossy white eggs with a few brown spots 3 being a normal clutch. Incubation by the female for 17–20 days to hatch. Both parents feed the chicks. Fledging takes another 23–30 days.

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Radermeyer and rietspruit 104

66 thoughts on “Greater Striped Swallow.. unafraid of humans, so they say.”

  1. My swallows have had another disastrous mating season. This is the fourth year that they are nesting in my garage. As soon as she has laid some eggs, something comes into the garage and destroys the nest. Yesterday whilst in the garage I noticed a very young snake (it looked like a young boomslang) next to the nest. I managed to chase it out of the garage and when I went back about 10 min.later the nest was broken. I feel so sorry for them as they are quite tame and when in the garage, allow me to come quite close. Also, when I walk the dogs they accompany me all the way (about half a kilometer). How can I ensure that these swallows will be safe next year, should they return. Do gecko’s eat their eggs or babies? There are always plenty in the garage. I have kingfishers’ nesting outside my kitchen about 12m. from the garage…could they be the culprits. This happens every year. Do you have any advice on how I can protect their nest.

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  2. We are about to enclose our patio where the swallows nests have been for years. How do we ensure that they come back and rebuild in a different location. It has been a great joy to have them here every summer and would hate to lose them

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  3. I am hand raising a Greater Striped Swallow chick. Their nest was broken by construction workers and one chick fell to death. Because the windows were installed into the new building the swallow parents did not have access to the baby for more than a day. My husband brought a very small, cold and downy baby swallow to me. What a joyful experience to observe the chick’s recovery from near starvation, and cold to a beautiful and happy young bird! Hopefully to be released within the next 2 weeks. (I have , meanwhile, turned into an expert fly,moth,caterpillar and locust catcher!!)

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  4. The colors are fascinating. I had to laugh at the fourth and fifth photo as it looks like the bird is pumping up his chest to let us know he rules the roost.

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  11. Pingback: Greater Striped Swallow.. unafraid of humans, so they say. | Xper Dunn Is Here

  14. Can I use a few of your elephant photos in my Blig today? If so do you know if there is a special way to acknowledge they are your photos?

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  27. I see them now and then, not as much as I used to though. They are the ones that used to line up on the phone lines before migrating for the winter – used to make one helluva racket for days on end before they left.

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