# Cliff Swallow (*Petrochelidon pyrrhonota*) Cliff Swallows are small birds that build their homes under cliffs and bridges. They have beautiful, colorful feathers and love to fly around catching insects in the air. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 61 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas, Urban areas - **Also known as:** Mud Swallow ![Cliff Swallow](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Petrochelidon_pyrrhonota_-flight_-Palo_Alto_Baylands-8.jpg&width=800) Photo: Don DeBold, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Petrochelidon_pyrrhonota_-flight_-Palo_Alto_Baylands-8.jpg) ## Appearance The Cliff Swallow has an iridescent blue-black back, buffy-white belly, and a distinctive white forehead patch. Its throat and cheeks are cinnamon-rufous. They also have a squared-off tail, unlike the deeply forked tail of many other swallows. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Hirundinidae - **Genus:** Petrochelidon ## Interesting facts - Some colonies have over 1000 nests packed together, a real bird city! - Their nests can weigh more than 500 grams, like a small brick! - These birds line their mud nests with feathers to make them super cozy inside. - They fly thousands of miles from North America to South America every year! ## Special abilities - **Mud Master Builders:** Cliff Swallows can build intricate mud nests using sticky saliva that helps bind the mud together. - **Swarm Safety Squad:** Cliff Swallows have huge colonies, sometimes with thousands of nests, which helps them stay safe from predators. - **Airborne Acrobat Hunter:** Cliff Swallows can catch flying insects mid-air with agility due to their sleek bodies and pointed wings. - **Insect Net Mouth:** Cliff Swallows have a wide mouth that helps them scoop up many tiny flying insects while flying. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 13-15 cm - **Wingspan:** 30-33 cm - **Weight:** 0.02-0.027 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-6 years - **Speed:** 48 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-6 - **Incubation:** 13-16 days - **Migration Distance:** 12000 km ## Diet & Feeding They zoom through the air, catching tiny flying insects like flies and beetles! - **Primary Foods:** Flies, Beetles, Moths, Wasps, Ants, True Bugs - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** [American Kestrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-kestrel) (*Falco sparverius*) — This raptor swoops down to catch adult swallows. - **Parasitizes:** Swallow Bug (*Cimex hirundinis*) — A tiny insect that feeds on their blood in nests. - **Eaten by:** House Fly (*Musca domestica*) — A common insect that Cliff Swallows catch in flight. - **Hunts:** Common Garter Snake (*Thamnophis sirtalis*) — This snake can climb cliffs to eat eggs and chicks. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Watch these birds from a distance and don't disturb their nests. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Cliff Swallow? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Cliff Swallow? 13-15 cm ### What is Cliff Swallow's wingspan? 30-33 cm ### How much does Cliff Swallow weigh? 0.02-0.027 kg ### How long does Cliff Swallow live? 2-6 years ### How fast can Cliff Swallow move? 48 km/h ### What does Cliff Swallow eat? They zoom through the air, catching tiny flying insects like flies and beetles! ### Where is Cliff Swallow usually found? Coastal areas, Urban areas ## Where to spot - [Calico Rock Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/calico-rock-historic-district) — Arkansas, US · Historic District - [Central Shelby Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/central-shelby-historic-district) — North Carolina, US · Historic District - [Chicken Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chicken-historic-district) — Alaska, US · Historic District - [Columbia Historic District I](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/columbia-historic-district-i) — South Carolina, US · Historic District - [Duke Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/duke-gardens) — New Jersey, US · Botanical Garden - [Durso Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/durso-park) — Illinois, US · Park [View all places to see Cliff Swallow](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/cliff-swallow) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Cliff Swallow: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cliff-swallow)