Lesser Striped Swallow
A species of Cecropis Scientific name : Cecropis abyssinica Genus : Cecropis
Lesser Striped Swallow, A species of Cecropis
Botanical name: Cecropis abyssinica
Genus: Cecropis
Content
Description General Info
Photo By Lip Kee , used under CC-BY-SA-2.0 /Cropped and compressed from original 
Description
The lesser striped swallow is 15–10 cm long. It has dark blue upperparts with a red rump and a rufous-chestnut crown, nape and sides of the head. The underparts are white with dark streaking, and the upper wings and underwing flight feathers are blackish-brown. The underwing coverts are tawny. The blackish tail has very long outer feathers; these are slightly longer in the male than the female. Juveniles are duller and browner, with less contrast and shorter outer tail feathers. There are five or six subspecies differing in the extent of the underpart streaking. The lesser striped swallow has heavier and darker underparts striping, a deeper red rump, and a brighter head colour than the larger greater striped swallow. 
Size
19 cm
Feeding Habits
Lesser Striped Swallow's diet consists primarily of insects like flying ants, bees, beetles, and flies, occasionally consuming lepidopterans, fruits, and seeds. They forage alone or in groups, varying from small to large flocks, and often mix with other hirundines and swifts. Typically, lesser Striped Swallow hunts 6-20m above ground, utilizing a variety of flight techniques, including gliding and hovering, to capture their prey, sometimes exploiting other animals to flush out insects and perching to eat fruit.
Habitat
Lesser Striped Swallow's habitat spans across grasslands, savannas, and open woodlands, extending to forest edges, clearings, and areas of cultivation. They are commonly observed in proximity to human settlements. These birds prefer more wooded environments compared to some of their congeners, notably avoiding high altitude montane grasslands where other similar species are found. Their distribution does not typically exceed elevations of around 2000 meters. Occasionally, lesser Striped Swallow may inhabit mangroves and forested river valleys. Large roosts have been recorded in agricultural lands such as sugar-cane fields.
Dite type
Insectivorous
General Info
Species Status
Not globally threatened.
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Birds Order
Perching birds Family
Swallows Genus
Cecropis Species
Lesser Striped Swallow 
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