A fairly large and colourful swallow, usually easy to recognise by its long, deeply forked tail and dark rump. The upperparts shine iridescent navy-blue, set off by a rich orange throat and forehead. Underparts vary across its range, from warm buffy-orange to almost white. It occupies a wide variety of open habitats, particularly fields and wetlands, and often feeds in flocks, sometimes alongside other swallow species. It commonly nests near people, building a mud cup inside barns, sheds, or beneath docks and bridges. Its calls are dry, scratchy “svit svit” notes. Pay attention to the head and breast pattern and the tail length when distinguishing it from similar swallows found in Africa, Asia, and Australia, such as Welcome, Angolan, and Pacific Swallows.