Sinaloa Martin

The Sinaloaschwalbe ( Progne sinaloae ) is a Singvogelart from the family of swallows ( Hirundinidae ). It occurs in western Mexico.

Features

The Sinaloaschwalbe reached a size 17 to 18 cm. The male is mainly glossy steel blue. The wings and forked tail are black. The lower breast, belly and undertail coverts are white. On the under tail-coverts indistinct dark shaft stripes are visible. Compared to males of the related Graubrust Swallow ( Progne chalybea ) the contrast between the white and the darker areas at the bottom is stronger. The female is generally darker. The top is sometimes mottled gray-brown. The face, throat, breast and flanks are dark brown. The bright Kehl center contrasts with the darker breast. Abdomen and under tail-coverts are white. The juvenile birds are previously undescribed. Resemble the one-year males, apart from the blue feathers on the top, the adult females. About the call there is no record.

Occurrence

The Sinaloaschwalbe breeds in western Mexico from the northeastern Sonora to Jalisco and Michoacán. The winter quarters are unknown. They are probably in South America.

Habitat

The Sinaloaschwalbe inhabits pine forests, mixed forests of pine and oak trees and semi- open woodland at altitudes up to 2000 m.

Way of life

The lifestyle of Sinaloaschwalbe is so far little explored. It is a migratory bird, who takes walks along the Pacific coast between Mexico and Guatemala. Your movements are alternately sliding and slapping. Between March and August, the swallows are observed on the breeding grounds. The nests are probably in tree hollows. Nothing more is known about the breeding behavior.

Status

The IUCN classifies the Sinaloaschwalbe in the category "endangered" ( vulnerable ). She is described as not often to quite often. Their breeding areas are known only from nine sites on the western slopes of the Sierra Madre Occidental in the states of Sonora, Jalisco and Michoacán.

System

The Sinaloaschwalbe was temporarily considered as a population of Cuba Swallow ( Progne cryptoleuca ) or as a subspecies of the Dominicans Swallow ( Progne dominicensis ) and the purple martin ( Progne subis ). Hybridizations with the gray chest Swallow ( Progne chalybea ) are known.