ExploreBird

Cave Swallow

Petrochelidon fulva

The Cave Swallow is a small bird with a shiny blue back and a buffy chest. It builds its nest in caves and cliffs, using mud to create cozy homes for its family.

Habitat: Caves, Cliffs

Appearance

The Cave Swallow has a glossy blue-black back with chestnut-colored cheeks and forehead, contrasting with a creamy white belly. Its distinctive square tail helps differentiate it from swallows with deeply forked tails.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassAvesOrderPasseriformesFamilyHirundinidaeGenusPetrochelidon

Cave Swallow

Interesting facts

Cave Swallows can fly for hours without landing, catching all their meals while on the wing!

Sometimes, thousands of Cave Swallows nest together, making a giant chattering bird city!

Their sticky saliva acts like super-glue to hold mud nests securely onto cave walls or bridges!

They drink water in flight, scooping sips by skimming pond surfaces like tiny jet skis!

Special abilities

Cave Swallows can build intricate, gourd-shaped mud nests, glued together with saliva, that help protect their young.

Cave Swallows have incredible agility in flight that helps them catch fast-moving insects mid-air for food.

Cave Swallows have adapted to nest in large colonies within dark caves, providing safety in numbers.

Measurements & details

Length: 12-15 cm
Wingspan: 28-30 cm
Weight: 0.016-0.024 kg
Lifespan: 4-8 years
Top Speed: 60 km/h
Clutch Size: 3-5
Incubation: 14-16 days
Migration Distance: 3500 km

Diet & Feeding

These speedy birds are expert insect hunters, gobbling up flies, mosquitoes, and beetles mid-air!

Primary Foods

flies
mosquitoes
beetles
dragonflies
ants
wasps

Foraging Method

Pursuit

Ecological connections

eats

Common Green Darner

Anax junius

Main food source

eats

House Fly

Musca domestica

Common insect prey

eaten by

American Kestrel

Falco sparverius

Predator of adults

eaten by

Texas Rat Snake

Pantherophis obsoletus

Raids nests for eggs/chicks

shelters

Brazilian Free-tailed Bat

Tadarida brasiliensis

Often shares cave habitats

Traits

Wildlife

Step into the incredible world of wild animals and plants living freely in nature. From tiny insects to towering trees, it's all part of the wild wonders around us!

Feathered

These are animals covered in soft, beautiful feathers that help them fly, stay warm, and even attract mates! Think of all the amazing birds you know.

Social

Discover creatures that love to live and work together! These animals form groups, helping each other find food, stay safe, and raise their young.

Aerial

Discover amazing creatures that spend much of their lives soaring high above the ground, often using wings to fly! They might hunt, travel, or even sleep up in the sky.

Cave Dwelling

These fascinating creatures thrive in the mysterious depths of caves, often adapted to life with little or no light! Explore the secrets of the underground.

Insectivorous

Discover clever creatures that specialize in munching on insects, playing a super important role in keeping bug populations in check. They are nature's tiny bug vacuums!