Swallows and Martins (Hirundinidae)
Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) - HBW 9, p. 683
French: Hirondelle à front blanc
German: Fahlstirnschwalbe
Spanish: Golondrina Risquera
Other common names: American/North American Cliff Swallow
Taxonomy: Hirundo pyrrhonota Vieillot, 1817, Paraguay.
Genus often merged with Hirundo, but DNA studies support retention of separate taxa. Variation clinal, birds becoming smaller and darker from N to S, and races intergrade. Status of race ganieri not clear, possibly better merged with nominate. Proposed races hypopolia (from Alaska and W Canada S, inland, to EC California, N Utah and NW Wyoming) and aprophata (S Oregon) considered to fall within range of variation of nominate; minima, described from SW USA (Arizona), considered synonymous with melanogaster. Has hybridized with Hirundo rustica, a.. View all taxonomy...
Taxonomy: Hirundo pyrrhonota Vieillot, 1817, Paraguay.
Genus often merged with Hirundo, but DNA studies support retention of separate taxa. Variation clinal, birds becoming smaller and darker from N to S, and races intergrade. Status of race ganieri not clear, possibly better merged with nominate. Proposed races hypopolia (from Alaska and W Canada S, inland, to EC California, N Utah and NW Wyoming) and aprophata (S Oregon) considered to fall within range of variation of nominate; minima, described from SW USA (Arizona), considered synonymous with melanogaster. Has hybridized with Hirundo rustica, and one record with Tachycineta bicolor. Four subspecies currently recognized.
Genus often merged with Hirundo, but DNA studies support retention of separate taxa. Variation clinal, birds becoming smaller and darker from N to S, and races intergrade. Status of race ganieri not clear, possibly better merged with nominate. Proposed races hypopolia (from Alaska and W Canada S, inland, to EC California, N Utah and NW Wyoming) and aprophata (S Oregon) considered to fall within range of variation of nominate; minima, described from SW USA (Arizona), considered synonymous with melanogaster. Has hybridized with Hirundo rustica, and one record with Tachycineta bicolor. Four subspecies currently recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- pyrrhonota (Vieillot, 1817) - breeds North America from W & C Alaska and Canada (N Yukon and N Mackenzie E to N Manitoba, N Ontario, S Quebec, Prince Edward I, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia) S to NW Mexico (NW Baja California) in W and, in E, to E USA (S to W Virginia, SE Pennsylvania, W Connecticut and NE Massachusetts, with scattered local populations farther S & E); winters South America.
- tachina Oberholser, 1903 - breeds S USA (SW Utah S to C Arizona, C New Mexico and SW Texas) S to NW Mexico (Baja California); presumed to winter South America.
- melanogaster (Swainson, 1827) - breeds SE Arizona and SW New Mexico S to S Mexico (S to Nayarit and Oaxaca); winters South America.
- ganieri (A. R. Phillips, 1986) - breeds S USA W of Appalachians (WC Tennessee S to S Texas); presumed to winter South America.
- Least Concern Enlarge map
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Six scenes of mud collecting for construction of nests. In the 2nd and 5th scene, a male pins down a female and apparently compl Locality Ventura County, California, USA (United States) (ssp pyrrhonota)
Don DesJardin 29 April 2010 3 years ago 50 sec 4.9 -
Parent at nest Locality Iowa, USA (United States) (ssp pyrrhonota)
Curt Kessler 3 August 2008 2 years ago 20 sec 4.5 -
A bird perched on a wire. Locality Grand Teton National Park, Teton County, Wyoming, USA (United States) (ssp pyrrhonota)
Bill Wayman 1 July 2007 4 years ago 33 sec 4.5 -
A breeding colony under a bridge. Locality Grand Teton National Park, Teton County, Wyoming, USA (United States) (ssp pyrrhonota)
Bill Wayman 1 July 2007 4 years ago 36 sec 4.3 -
A group of birds flying around a termite mound, one of them standing on the top Locality Emas National Park, Goiás State, Brazil (ssp pyrrhonota)
Josep del Hoyo 11 January 2005 5 years ago 22 sec 4.2 -
View of nestingsite Locality Denali Highway, Alaska, USA (United States) (ssp pyrrhonota)
Marc de Bont 16 July 2008 2 years ago 28 sec 4
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The Cliff Swallows were building their nest on a cliff hanging over the water on Boysen Reservoir.
Locality Boysen Reservoir, Fremont County, Wyoming, USA (United States) (ssp pyrrhonota)
Mike Ross 4 July 2009 3 years ago 4.2 -
An Adult
Locality Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve, Los Angeles County, California, USA (United States)
Alexander Viduetsky 9 May 2010 46 weeks ago 4.1 -
Coming at nest
Locality Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area, Quebec, Canada (ssp pyrrhonota)
Guy Poisson 24 May 2012 51 weeks ago 4.1 -
An adult gathering mud for it's nest
Locality Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary, Arcata, Humboldt County, California, USA (United States)
AndrewSmith 18 May 2012 1 year ago 4 -
On the grass at Fort, seem to be injured but it left flying normal. Probably tired from migration.
Locality Fort San Lorenzo, San Lorenzo National Park, Colón Province, Panama
Octavio Rios 12 October 2011 1 year ago 3.8 -
Two young peering from the nest.
Locality Bronte Harbour, Bronte, Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Miriam Bauman 10 July 2011 1 year ago 3.7
- No sound recordings available yet
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