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| − | [[Image:Cliff_Swallow.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by forcreeks]] | + | [[Image:Cliff_Swallow.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|forcreeks|forcreeks}}<br />Chiloquin, [[Oregon]], May 2005]] |
;[[:Category:Petrochelidon|Petrochelidon]] pyrrhonota | ;[[:Category:Petrochelidon|Petrochelidon]] pyrrhonota | ||
==Identification== | ==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. [[Mexico|Mexican]] birds have chestnut foreheads. | + | 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. |
| + | ====Similar Species==== | ||
| + | [[Cave Swallow]] of [[Texas]] and Southwest is similar but smaller, with darker rump and pale buff throat. [[Mexico|Mexican]] birds have chestnut foreheads. | ||
==Distribution== | ==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]]. | 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]]. | ||
| + | [[Image:IMG 8467 resize.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by {{user|adampaul|adampaul}}<br />Palo Alto, [[California]], June 2007]] | ||
==Taxonomy== | ==Taxonomy== | ||
| − | Four different subspecies are recognized | + | Cliff Swallow has in the past been placed in genus ''[[: Category:Hirundo|Hirundo]]''. |
| + | ====Subspecies==== | ||
| + | Four different subspecies are recognized<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>: | ||
| + | *''P. p. pyrrhonota'': | ||
| + | :*Breeds [[Alaska]] and [[US]]; winters to [[South America]] | ||
| + | *''P. p. ganieri'': | ||
| + | :*Southern US westt of Appalachians ([[Tennessee]] to [[Texas]]); winters to South America | ||
| + | *''P. p. tachina'': | ||
| + | :*South-western US to north-western [[Mexico]] and Baja; winters to South America | ||
| + | *''P. p. melanogaster'': | ||
| + | :*South-eastern [[Arizona]] and [[New Mexico]] to Oaxaca; winters to South America | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''melanogaster'' is sometimes included in ''pyrrhonota'' but those sources then recognize a form ''minima''<sup>[[#References|[2]]]</sup>. | ||
==Habitat== | ==Habitat== | ||
Open country near buildings or cliffs; lakeshores and marshes on migration. | Open country near buildings or cliffs; lakeshores and marshes on migration. | ||
==Behaviour== | ==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. | + | ====Breeding==== |
| + | 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. | ||
====Vocalisation==== | ====Vocalisation==== | ||
Constant squeaky chattering and twittering. | Constant squeaky chattering and twittering. | ||
| − | + | ==References== | |
| + | #{{Ref-Clements6thDec10}}#Avibase | ||
| + | {{ref}} | ||
==External Links== | ==External Links== | ||
{{GSearch|Petrochelidon+pyrrhonota}} | {{GSearch|Petrochelidon+pyrrhonota}} | ||
[[Category:Birds]][[Category:Petrochelidon]] | [[Category:Birds]][[Category:Petrochelidon]] | ||
Revision as of 21:39, 6 February 2011
- Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
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.
Similar Species
Cave Swallow of Texas and Southwest is similar but smaller, with darker rump and pale buff throat. Mexican birds have chestnut foreheads.
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.
Taxonomy
Cliff Swallow has in the past been placed in genus Hirundo.
Subspecies
Four different subspecies are recognized[1]:
- P. p. pyrrhonota:
- Breeds Alaska and US; winters to South America
- P. p. ganieri:
- P. p. tachina:
- South-western US to north-western Mexico and Baja; winters to South America
- P. p. melanogaster:
- South-eastern Arizona and New Mexico to Oaxaca; winters to South America
melanogaster is sometimes included in pyrrhonota but those sources then recognize a form minima[2].
Habitat
Open country near buildings or cliffs; lakeshores and marshes on migration.
Behaviour
Breeding
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.
Vocalisation
Constant squeaky chattering and twittering.
References
- Clements, JF. 2010. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2010. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/Clements%206.5.xls/view
- Avibase
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Cliff Swallow. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 1 June 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Cliff_Swallow
