SOME THOUGHTS ON ETHIOPIAN SWALLOWS NESTING AT BUFFALO SPRINGS.

Dear All,
Every one of the regional books dealing with Ethiopian Swallow only
illustrates the nominate race. There is a second race, amadoni which
is not illustrated in any African bird books. This race differs from
nominate in having an all white not buffy throat, but the descriptions
fail to comment on the virtual absence of a breast band as opposed to
an obvious broken breast band in nominate.
The distribution for amadoni as given in Z & T is “Most Kenyan
populations represent the nominate race, H. a. amadoni of Somalia
ranges south in coastal areas to Kiunga, Lamu and possibly Malindi.
Records from El Wak and Mandera not racially assigned. Few breeding
records away from the coast.”
In spite of being so far from this given range, a look at the images
attached clearly show that the birds breeding at Buffalo Springs on
the entrance gate (Archer’s Post) are undoubtedly amadoni and not
nominate. They come and breed here every year at this time, and also
at the Army station near the entrance road to Shaba Game Reserve and
the pumphouse closer to the Archer’s Post bridge.
In a more general statement, the map and text give the species as
occurring from Tanga northwards, but I don’t know of any acceptable
Tanzanian record.
Stevenson & Fanshawe don’t mention the existence of the race at all,
whilst Ryan and Sinclair also seem unaware of it’s existence stating
“Confusion is most likely with Wire-tailed Swallows, but differs in
having red confined to forehead (not total cap), and buffy (not white)
throat.”!
The Horn of Africa, where the distinctive form is supposed to occur,
also fails to illustrate it and gives its distribution as Eastern
Ethiopia and Somalia.
Britton gives reference to amadoni as follows “Lamu birds have been
assigned to the race amadoni, while all others are nominate.”

I have checked up on videos and images I have taken of Ethiopian
Swallow from various parts of Laikipia as far south as Naro Moru and
they all show the characters of amadoni not nominate. Likewise I have
checked images for the coast, and sure enough they have buffy throats
and clear breast band (broken in middle).

This is all very intriguing and requires some more research into the
distribution of the races in Kenya, but clearly distributions as
currently given are requiring review. Are the two forms completely
isolated for example? It would be a good study if Laikipia based
residents checked their Ethiopian Swallows to see if they all (as
adults) have all white throats and little trace of any breast band.
Likewise coastal residents should also check to see if all their
swallows all have buff throats and a strong breast band broken in the
centre.

I would appreciate feedback on this, so that we can have a better idea
of the distribution of the two forms in Kenya.

Best for now
Brian