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To the Beauty of Birds

The Southern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx ruficollis is a small swallow. It occurs in Central and South America and on Trinidad.

The adult is brown above, with blackish wings and tail and a pale grey rump. The throat and upper breast are rufous with the lower underparts yellowish-white. The tail is slightly forked. It is similar in appearance to its northern counterpart, the Northern Rough-winged Swallow but is more uniform in color on the rump.

"Rough-winged" refers to the serrated edge of the outer primary feathers on the wing of this bird although this feature would only be apparent when holding this bird.

These were photographed at Arenal Observatory and Esquinas Rainforest, Costa Rica.

Southern rough-winged Swallow

Swallow Southern Rough-winged 4449

Swallow Southern Rough-winged 4449 2

Swallow Southern Rough-winged 4716

Swallow Southern Rough-winged 4731

Swallow Southern Rough-winged 4781

Swallow Southern Rough-winged 4787

Swallows Southern Rough-winged 4726

Southern Rough-winged Swallow 51226

Southern Rough-winged Swallow 1218