General

Cliff Swallow: Small, stocky swallow with dark blue-gray upperparts, pale orange-brown rump and buff underparts. Forehead is white or buff while throat and sides of face are orange-brown. Tail is dark and squared. Sexes are similar. Juvenile is duller.

Range and Habitat

Cliff Swallow: Breeds from Alaska, Ontario, and Nova Scotia southward throughout most of U.S. except the southeast; spends winters in the tropics. Preferred habitats include open country near buildings or cliffs, lakeshores, and marshes.

Breeding and Nesting

Cliff Swallow: Three to six brown marked, creamy white to light pink eggs are laid in a gourd-shaped nest made of mud, lined with feathers, and built on a sheltered cliff or under an eave. Incubation ranges from 14 to 16 days and is carried out by both parents.

Foraging and Feeding

Cliff Swallow: Diet consists almost entirely of insects, but will occasionally gorge on berries; forages in flight.

Vocalization

Cliff Swallow: Emits constant, squeaky chattering and twittering.

Similar Species

Cliff Swallow: Cave Swallow has darker forehead and paler throat.