Cliff Swallow

Cliff Swallow

Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
(Hirundinidae)

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5.5 inches long. The Cliff Swallow has a squared off tail and orange rump and a conspicuous white forehead. The cheeks are chestnut colored. There is a pale collar. The throat, cap, and upperparts are blackish. The underparts are whitish. Like all swallows the Cliff Swallow has long pointed wings.

 

The Cliff Swallow is a common breeding bird in the area that arrives by early April and leaves by late October. It is uncommon in the Forest and is best seen along the Missouri River.

 

The Cliff Swallow will nest communally in mud nests that it may often build under bridges and building eaves as well as natural sites such as caves and under rock ledges. The nest is a gourd-shaped mud cone with a small entrance hole. It has expanded explosively from its origins in the west due to the use of manmade structures. It is a very social bird and it typically will nest in large colonies with a single site having up to 3,500 nests. Its diet consists exclusively of flying insects.

 

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