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Swallows and Martins (Hirundinidae)

Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis) - HBW 9, p. 661

French: Hirondelle à ailes hérissées German: Graukehlschwalbe Spanish: Golondrina Aserrada
Other common names: Rough-winged Swallow (when treated as conspecific with S. ruficollis); Ridgway’s/Yucatan Rough-winged Swallow (ridgwayi, stuarti)

Taxonomy: Hirundo serripennis Audubon, 1838, Charleston, South Carolina, USA.
Formerly considered conspecific with S. ruficollis, and race decolor of latter has been regarded as intermediate between the two species, but they are separated altitudinally where ranges overlap in Costa Rica. Present species sometimes treated as monotypic; races intergrade and borders between them (and degree of overlap) uncertain, also N-S cline in coloration, and tendency for paler forms in SW USA and NW Mexico, also size increases N to S and wing longer towards NW; fulvipennis possibly not separable. Conversely, ridgwayi and stuarti sometimes regarded a.. View all taxonomy...

Taxonomy: Hirundo serripennis Audubon, 1838, Charleston, South Carolina, USA.
Formerly considered conspecific with S. ruficollis, and race decolor of latter has been regarded as intermediate between the two species, but they are separated altitudinally where ranges overlap in Costa Rica. Present species sometimes treated as monotypic; races intergrade and borders between them (and degree of overlap) uncertain, also N-S cline in coloration, and tendency for paler forms in SW USA and NW Mexico, also size increases N to S and wing longer towards NW; fulvipennis possibly not separable. Conversely, ridgwayi and stuarti sometimes regarded as constituting a separate species. Proposed race aphracta (W Great Basin region of USA), supposedly dark above and with greyer throat, considered undiagnosable. Six subspecies tentatively recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

  • serripennis (Audubon, 1838) - SE Alaska, and from S Canada (C British Columbia, C Alberta, C Saskatchewan, S Manitoba, W & S Ontario E to SW New Brunswick and SW Nova Scotia) S in USA to C California, N Nevada, New Mexico, C Texas and SW Florida; winters mostly SW Mexico and Florida S to C Panama.
  • psammochroa Griscom, 1929 - S California, S Nevada, SW Utah, SW Arizona, S New Mexico and S Texas S to S & NE Mexico (S through N coastal plains and possibly interior highlands to SW Oaxaca and Tamaulipas), possibly also S along coast to El Salvador; winters C Mexico S to Panama.
  • fulvipennis (P. L. Sclater, 1860) - C & S Mexico (lowlands and middle elevations from C Veracruz, E Oaxaca and E Chiapas) S to Costa Rica.

     See all 6 subspecies
  • serripennis (Audubon, 1838) - SE Alaska, and from S Canada (C British Columbia, C Alberta, C Saskatchewan, S Manitoba, W & S Ontario E to SW New Brunswick and SW Nova Scotia) S in USA to C California, N Nevada, New Mexico, C Texas and SW Florida; winters mostly SW Mexico and Florida S to C Panama.
  • psammochroa Griscom, 1929 - S California, S Nevada, SW Utah, SW Arizona, S New Mexico and S Texas S to S & NE Mexico (S through N coastal plains and possibly interior highlands to SW Oaxaca and Tamaulipas), possibly also S along coast to El Salvador; winters C Mexico S to Panama.
  • fulvipennis (P. L. Sclater, 1860) - C & S Mexico (lowlands and middle elevations from C Veracruz, E Oaxaca and E Chiapas) S to Costa Rica.
  • stuarti Brodkorb, 1942 - S Mexican lowlands (S from S Veracruz, Oaxaca and Chiapas) S to E Guatemala.
  • ridgwayi Nelson, 1901 - N Yucatán Peninsula (S to N Campeche and C Quintana Roo).
  • burleighi A. R. Phillips, 1986 - Belize and Guatemala (S Yucatán Peninsula).
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