Cliff Swallow

Petrochelidon pyrrhonota

Audubon Illustration

John James Audubon, Birds of America (1827-1838). Public domain.

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About the Cliff Swallow

The cliff swallow or American cliff swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) is a member of the passerine bird family Hirundinidae, the swallows and martins. The generic name Petrochelidon is derived from the Ancient Greek petros meaning "stone" and khelidon (χελιδών) "swallow", and the specific name pyrrhonota comes from purrhos meaning "flame-coloured" and -notos "-backed". Cliff swallows are extremely social songbirds that can be found in large nesting colonies reaching over 2,000 nests. They are frequently seen flying overhead in large flocks during migration, gracefully foraging over fields for flying insects or perching tightly together on a wire preening under the sun. Cliff swallows build gourd-shaped nests made from mud with small entrance holes.

Source: Wikipedia

Classification

Scientific name: Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
Family: Swallows
Order: Passeriformes

Similar species

Other members of the swallows family recorded in North America — a useful place to start if you are not certain of your identification.

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