From Opus

Photo by forcreeks

Petrochelidon pyrrhonota

[edit] Identification

5-6" (13-15 cm). Sparrow-sized. A stocky, square-tailed swallow with pale buff rump. Upperparts dull steel-blue; underparts buff-white; throat dark chestnut; forehead white. Cave Swallow of Texas and Southwest is similar but smaller, with darker rump and pale buff throat. Mexican birds have chestnut foreheads.

[edit] Distribution

Breeds from Alaska, Ontario, and Nova Scotia southward through most of United States (except Southeast) and in northern half of Mexico. Winters in South America.

[edit] Taxonomy

Four different subspecies are recognized, pyrrhonota, tachina, and ganieari; melanogaster is sometimes included in pyrrhonota but those sources then recognize a form minima. Cliff Swallow has in the past been placed in genus Hirundo.

[edit] Habitat

Open country near buildings or cliffs; lakeshores and marshes on migration.

[edit] Behaviour

Nesting 4-6 white eggs in a gourd-shaped structure of mud lined with feathers and placed on a sheltered cliff face or under eaves. Nests in colonies.

[edit] Vocalisation

Constant squeaky chattering and twittering.

[edit] External Links