Quick Facts

• Scientific Name: Tachycineta albilinea
• Spanish Name: Golondrina de manglar
• Family: Hirundinidae
• Known Nicknames: White-lined Swallow, Mangrove Swallow
• Average Length: 12–13 cm / 4.7–5.1 in
• Average Weight: 14–17 g / 0.49–0.60 oz
• Wingspan: 28–30 cm / 11–12 in
• Key Feature: White superciliary stripe and white rump
• Primary Diet: Insectivore
• Range: Coastal Pacific and Caribbean slopes from western Mexico to Panama
• Habitat: Mangrove forests and coastal wetlands
• Social Structure: Semi-colonial, often in loose pairs or small groups
• Nesting/Breeding: Tree cavities, crevices, or nest boxes near water
• Conservation Status: Least Concern (LC)
• Population Trend: Stable

The Mangrove Swallow (*Tachycineta albilinea*) is a dazzling, agile bird perfectly adapted to the coastal waterways of Central and South America, where it skims low over mangroves, rivers, and lagoons. A sleek, iridescent beauty, it boasts a shimmering blue-green back and cap that contrast sharply with its pure white underparts and a distinctive white rump patch, which is particularly visible in flight. Its most unique characteristic is its near-constant association with water; unlike many swallows, it rarely strays far from aquatic habitats, where it performs acrobatic maneuvers to snatch insects from the surface. Special features include a deeply forked tail that aids in its swift, erratic flight and a remarkable tolerance for nesting in isolated tree cavities over water, often fiercely defending its territory from larger birds.

Fun Facts

Unlike many swallows that build mud nests on vertical surfaces, the Mangrove Swallow often repurposes old woodpecker holes or natural tree cavities in dead snags overhanging water, giving it a built-in defense against climbing predators. It is also a master of low-altitude flight, skimming just inches above the water’s surface to snatch insects and even drinking on the wing without slowing down, a behavior known as “scooping.” A quirky adaptation is its tolerance for brackish habitats; while most swallows stick to freshwater, this species thrives in coastal mangroves, where it has been observed using its tail as a rudder to make sharp, vertical dives into narrow gaps in the canopy.

Habitats & Distribution

The Mangrove Swallow is closely associated with coastal and inland waterways, primarily inhabiting mangrove swamps, but also occurring along rivers, estuaries, and lagoons. It prefers open water edges with dead trees or man-made structures like bridges and piers, which provide perches and nesting cavities. Its geographical range is strictly Neotropical, extending from western Mexico through Central America (including Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and Panama) and along the Pacific coast of South America as far south as northwestern Peru, with a separate population found along the Caribbean coast of Colombia and Venezuela. It is generally a lowland species, rarely found above 500 meters in elevation, and remains resident year-round throughout most of its distribution.

Behaviours & Reproduction

Mangrove Swallows are socially monogamous, forming pair bonds that often persist across multiple breeding seasons. They nest solitarily or in loose colonies, with pairs aggressively defending a small territory around the nest cavity. Courtship involves aerial chases and mutual preening, and the female selects a nest site, typically a natural hole or abandoned woodpecker cavity in a dead tree near water. Both sexes build the nest, a shallow cup of grass and feathers, but only the female incubates the 3–5 white eggs for about 16 days. A unique reproductive strategy is their high nest-site fidelity and the use of old nests, which reduces construction effort. The male assists in feeding the altricial young, and pairs commonly raise two broods per season in the tropics, with the male sometimes feeding the first brood while the female starts a second clutch. Fledging occurs around 22–26 days, and juveniles may remain near parents for several weeks before dispersing.

Diet

The Mangrove Swallow (Tachycineta albilinea) is an aerial insectivore, meaning it captures and consumes its prey exclusively while in flight. Its diet consists almost entirely of small flying insects, including flies, mosquitoes, moths, beetles, and winged ants, which it skillfully snatches from the air near the surface of water or over mangrove forests. An interesting fact about its feeding behavior is that it often forages in mixed-species flocks with other swallows and martins, allowing it to exploit temporary insect swarms more efficiently. Additionally, unlike some other swallow species that may occasionally consume berries or seeds, the Mangrove Swallow is strictly carnivorous, deriving all its moisture and nutrients from the insects it eats, and it has been observed to drink water by skimming the surface of lakes or rivers while in flight.

Colors

The Mangrove Swallow has a glossy steel-blue or greenish-blue back and crown, contrasting with a pure white throat, chest, and underparts. Its most distinctive marking is a thin white line above the eye, and the white extends up the sides of the head, partially encircling the dark ear coverts. The tail and wings are dark, with the tail showing white patches on the inner webs of the outer feathers. It lacks disruptive camouflage, instead using its bright countershading to blend with the sky when viewed from below against mangrove water.

Distribution Map

Places linked to this species. A sighting is never guaranteed.

Attraction Details

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