General Info. |
General Information
Classification
Summary
Social Spacing |
Mating System |
Predators |
Prey |
Nesting territory |
Male-assistance monogamy |
Larger birds, snakes |
Small insects |
Physical Description
The Cliff Swallow is on average 5 inches long with a short bill and a square-ended tail. The adult Cliff Swallow is an iridescent dark blue on the back and crown with brown wings and a brown tail behind an orange rump. The underparts, nape, and forehead of the bird are white and the face is reddish. Juveniles are similar to adults but with brown replacing the dark blue on the back and crown and white spots scattered across the face (BirdWeb, 2005).
Picture courtesy of Paul Noll
Behavior
-
Habitat
Cliff swallows naturally inhabit rocky canyons and cliffsides for nesting, but they have successfully adapted to man-made and more urban environments, often nesting under bridges. They are found near water because they require mud to build their nests. Cliff Swallows range all across North America with the densest populations in the northwest.
-
Nesting
Their nests are made from mud that they carry in their beaks to the nesting site where they will apply the mud to a vertical surface, often with overhead protection, until they have created a hollow jug-shaped nest. The entire mud construction process will require approximately 1,000 mud applications. Though the nest itself is not made from anything but mud, they will eventually line the inside of the cavity with feathers, grasses and small leaves (Cornell, 2000).
Picture courtesy of Cape Breton University
-
Diet
Cliff Swallows prey on small insects as their sole source of food.
Last updated: 1 May 2006.
Questions or comments should be directed to: brshelton@davidson.edu