Red-rumped Swallow (Cecropis daurica)
Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
Differs from Barn Swallow in all plumages by pale throat and black under tail coverts, which are visible at greater distance than the red rump. Rufous cheeks and collar. Underparts finely streaked, giving the bird a slightly "dirty" look from a distance, with less contrast to the upperparts than in Barn Swallow. Immature birds with short streamers and buff cheeks and rump. Build more compact than Barn Swallow, with shorter bill, rounded wings and slightly shorter streamers. Flight slower and with more frequent gliding.
Sound:Less vocal than Barn Swallow. Song slower, and less energetic. Each phrase starts with a few staccato notes, leading to a short, twittering sequence of a few seconds length, with some drawn notes. Timbre is metallic and "broken", and quite diagnostic.
Song:
Distribution:
Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)
Ecology:Birdlife ecology
Links:
Observation.org Latest observations
Image search Flickr NB! May give other species
CCDiffers from other white herons in the region by dark legs with contrasting yellow feet and toes. Bill always dark, and lores grey or reddish (breeding birds). Slender and elegant build, as opposed to Cattle Egret. Only roughly half the size of Great White Egret. In flight, note much quicker wing-beats of Little Egret and that the wings of Great White seems to be positioned more at the front of the body. Skulking, foraging behaviour with less erect posture than Great White, also when moving about. Legs less protruding beyond tail in flight than in GWE.
Sound:Sometimes utters a dry, rasping "kerrr" when flushed, but is mostly silent away from breeding ground. In colonies a peculiar gurgling and vibrating sound is heard; "ghala-la-la-la".
Call:
Distribution:
Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)
Ecology:Birdlife ecology
Links:
Observation.org Latest observations
Image search Flickr NB! May give other species
CC