Notes on Eurasian Barn Swallows in Alaska, Including the First Documentation of Successful Breeding in North America

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“…Up to eight subspecies of the Barn Swallow are recognized (Dickinson and Christidis 2014), of which three are known from northwestern North America: H. r. erythrogaster (breeds North and South America), H. r. rustica (Europe), and H. r. gutturalis (Asia). These subspecies can be distinguished by the shape and color of the throat patch, ventral plumage color, breast-band width, and tail length (Turner and Rose 1989, Turner 2006, Robinson and DeCicco 2017, Brown and Brown 2019. Nominate rustica is white below, has a broad dark blue-black and generally unbroken breast band (which can variably show some rufous feathers), a relatively longer tail, and a more restricted rufous throat patch; H. r. erythrogaster is rufous below, has a narrower breast band restricted to the sides of the breast with a broad wash of rufous in the middle, a more extended rufous throat patch, and is shorter tailed; H. r. gutturalis appears somewhat intermediate but is usually notably paler below than H. r. erythrogaster.…”

“…Genetic analyses have shown erythrogaster and gutturalis to be closely related, while nominate rustica is more distant genetically and was considered a distinct species by Turner (2006) and Zink et al (2006). In identifying Barn Swallows at Qikiqtaruk we referred to the primary identification references (Turner and Rose 1989, Turner 2006, Robinson and DeCicco 2017, Brown and Brown 2019, as well as to the extensive catalog of georeferenced photos available through the Macaulay Library (https://eBird.org).…”

“…The Asiatic subspecies gutturalis occurs casually in coastal western Alaska ) and bred at Nome in 2016 (Robinson and DeCicco 2017). There are no definitive records of H. r. gutturalis in northern Alaska, where H. r. rustica has been documented by two specimen records and two photographic records at Utqiaġvik (Barrow), and one photographic record at the Colville River delta , Robinson and DeCicco 2017, https://eBird.org).…”

“…This pair was observed together at the nest on one occasion, but we were unable to obtain a photograph. THE AVIFAUNA OF ST. MATTHEW AND HALL ISLANDS, BERING SEA, ALASKA of Alaska (Williamson and Peyton 1963, Patten 1974, 1980, Patten and Weisbrod 1974, Patten and Patten 1976, 1983, DeCicco et al 2017.…”