The cliff swallow is a small, stocky songbird. It is about 5 inches (12.7 cm) in length and has a wingspan of 11-11.8 inches (27.9-30 cm).
It has long, pointed wings and a small black bill. Its wings and back are dark, while its chest is white. The cliff swallow has a red neck and a white patch on the top of its head.
Throughout the breeding season, the cliff swallow lives in diverse habitats with open areas for foraging and cliffs or buildings on which to build nests.
It avoids heavy forests, deserts, and high mountains.
The cliff swallow eats flying insects. One study found the stomach contents of a cliff swallow consisted of ants, bees, wasps, beetles, flies, dragonflies, moths, and butterflies.
It hunts in areas with low-growing plants, such as meadows, fields, and wetlands. The cliff swallow hunts from dawn to dusk.
The cliff swallow builds a bowl-shaped nest with mud. It has a small tunnel on one side, and the inside is lined with grass. The nest is built on a vertical wall or cliff, usually under an overhang. Cliff swallows nest in colonies that can range in size. In the West, colonies have grown to 3,700 nests in a single spot.
The female lays 1-6 creamy white, spotted eggs in the nest. Upon hatching, chicks are helpless and have no feathers. After leaving the nest, young cliff swallows gather in a large group. Even though they gather in large groups, cliff swallow parents can find their young by the sound of their voice.
The cliff swallow has a lifespan of 5-6 years in the wild. The oldest known cliff swallow lived to be 11 years old.
Cliff swallow colonies in the western U.S. are usually larger than colonies in the eastern U.S.
Support for NatureWorks is provided by:
Ciff swallows breed in New Hampshire.
They are a threatened species in the state. Their numbers have declined by over 90% since 1970, and the number of colonies has dropped by 75% since the 1980s.
Threats to cliff swallows in the state include the impact of climate change, the effects of insecticides, and changes in food supply.
The cliff swallow has a large range. It breeds in much of North America, including the Northeast.
During migration, the cliff swallow can be found throughout the Southeastern United States, Mexico, and Central America.
In the winter, the cliff swallow is found in much of South America, including Brazil, Argentina, Peru, and Ecuador.
NHPBS inspires one million Granite Staters each month with engaging and trusted local and national programs on-air, online, in classrooms and in communities.
