The Golden swallow (Tachycineta euchrysea) is a small swallow endemic to the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. It was once native to Jamaica, but is now extirpated there. The exact cause of its extirpation from Jamaica is unknown. The last sighting of the nominate subspecies was in Hardwar Gap (located on the boundary between Saint Andrew and Portland parishes), with three birds being seen on 8 June 1989.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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InsectivoresAn insectivore is a carnivorous plant or animal that eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of e...
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ArborealArboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some anima...
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GlidingGliding flight is heavier-than-air flight without the use of thrust and is employed by gliding animals. Birds in particular use gliding flight to m...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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OviparousOviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
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AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withThe upper parts of an adult Golden swallow, including the sides of the head, the cheek, and the chin, are iridescent bronze. The ear coverts and lores are duller, and the forehead, crown, and nape are more green. This contrasts with the golden or coppery-bronze coloring of the mantle, shoulders, back, rump, and upper tail-coverts. Its underparts are white, with dusky bronze streaks on the flanks. The legs and the feet are dark brown and the bill is black. The female is similar, although some of the underparts, specifically the breast and occasionally the throat and under tail-coverts, are mottled grey-brown. The juvenile, like the female, is mottled grey-brown. The juvenile also has less glossy plumage and the sides of its head are a dusky grey.
Golden swallows are native to the island of Hispaniola. They inhabit hills of the interior of the island and prefer open country including grasslands and agricultural areas. They may occasionally occur in forests and over towns. Golden swallows are restricted to patches of montane forests that consist primarily of Hispaniolan pine and mixed pine-broadleaf forests.
Golden swallows are diurnal; they generally start to forage at dawn, with activity increasing in the morning and decreasing during the afternoon. They forage in most habitats except the forest. They are aerial insectivores and usually forage low to the ground, either by themselves or in small groups. It is not typical of them to forage at heights above 20 m (66 ft), and especially rarely they feed above 30 m (98 ft). Golden swifts have a soft, repeated two-note call, often described as a 'tchee-weet'.
Golden swallows are carnivores (insectivores) and generally feed on flies, true bugs, and various other insects.
Golden swallows breed between April and July. They usually nest in pairs and may occasionally nest in colonies. Golden swallows usually build their deep cup nest in dead snags, especially those of the Hispaniolan pine, or in holes created by woodpeckers, primarily the Hispaniolan woodpecker. They also nest in caves, under the eaves of houses, and in recently burned stands. The nests are made with fine vegetable fibers like silk, cotton, and pappus, with the seeds being broken off from the fibers. The birds usually line them with cotton, silk, and feathers. The female lays 2 to 4 white to creamy white eggs with a little spotting and incubates them for 17-20 days. The chicks usually fledge 24 to 27 days after they hatch.
The Golden swallow is considered to be a vulnerable species due to its small, fragmented, and decreasing population and range. Its population is declining, mostly because of shifting agriculture and predation by introduced mammalian species.
According to the IUCN Red List, the total population size of the Golden swallow is 1,500-7,000 mature individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List, and its numbers today are decreasing.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...