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Bird name:

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Stelgidopteryx serripennisOrder: PASSERIFORMES Family: Swallows (Hirundinidae)
Codes: Common Name: NRWS Scientific Name: STESER ITIS Taxonomic No.: 178443
Least Concern
 
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
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Birdman Mel's Backyard Tips

Jelly Jar Jelly Feeder
The orange "blossum" replaces the lid of a jelly jar.
Attract Orioles with Fruit
Sliced orange secures easily to the center of the ring. Low cost.
Attract with Nectar
Hex shaped nectar feeds several Orioles. Nectar kept in fridge.
Charm and Attraction
Lovely copper umbrella keeps fruit cool and looks great.

Overview

Northern Rough-winged Swallow: Small, stocky swallow, brown upperparts, paler underparts, pale brown throat. Tail is squared with white undertail coverts. Named for tiny hooks found on outer primary feathers. Swift, graceful flight, alternates several slow, deep wing beats with short or long glides.

Range and Habitat

Northern Rough-winged Swallow: Breeds from southeastern Alaska and southern Canada southward throughout the U.S. Spends winters north to southern California, the Gulf Coast, and southern Florida.

Topo Map: Swallow-like Body


Listen to Call

Voice Text

"br-r-ret"

Interesting Facts

 John James Audubon discovered the Northern Rough-winged Swallow in Louisiana in 1819. He shot five birds and only after seeing they were unfamiliar, collected them for further study.

 The Greek genus name, Stelgidopteryx, means "scraper wing;" the Latin species name, serripennis, means "saw feather."

 A pair of birds was documented nesting in a Civil War Cannon.

 A group of swallows has many collective nouns, including a "gulp", "herd", "kettle", "richness", and "sord" of swallows.


Bird Term Glossary



Author

Gary Owen Dick

Artist

Yury Lisyak

Splitbar
Range Map for Northern Rough-winged Swallow

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Family Swallow (Hirundinidae)_blue
Species Stelgidopteryx serripennis
Length5.5 Inches
Wingspan11.5 Inches

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Northern Rough-winged Swallow: Small, stocky swallow, brown upperparts, paler underparts, pale brown throat. Tail is squared with white undertail coverts. Named for tiny hooks found on outer primary feathers. Swift, graceful flight, alternates several slow, deep wing beats with short or long glides.

● Song: "br-r-ret"

● Foraging & Feeding: Northern Rough-winged Swallow: Eats insects; forages in flight, taking insects in the air or from the water surface; sometimes forages on the ground. Drinks by skimming the water surface while in flight.

● Breeding & nesting: Northern Rough-winged Swallow: Four to eight white eggs are laid in a burrow or natural cavity; also uses ready-made cavities in bridges, culverts, and other streamside masonry. Eggs are incubated for 12 days by the female.

● Similar species: Northern Rough-winged Swallow: Bank Swallow is smaller and has a white throat and brown breast band.

Flight Pattern

Swift graceful flight with slow deep wing beats.
Northern Rough-winged Swallow Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Northern Rough-winged Swallow: Breeds from southeastern Alaska and southern Canada southward throughout the U.S. Spends winters north to southern California, the Gulf Coast, and southern Florida.
BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester, Small colonies
PopulationIncreasing
MigrationMigratory
Weight0.6 Ounces
Swallow-like BodyX
UnderpartsX
Belly, undertail coverts, chest, flanks, and foreneck.
Undertail covertsX
Small feathers that cover the areas where the retrices (tail feathers) attach to the rump.
UpperpartsX
Back, rump, hindneck, wings, and crown.
4 and 6 letter alpha codesX

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

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ITIS CodesX

The Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) was established in the mid-1990�s as a cooperative project among several federal agencies to improve and expand upon taxonomic data (known as the NODC Taxonomic Code) maintained by the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

To find the ITIS page for a bird species go to the ITIS web site advanced search and report page at http://www.itis.gov/advanced_search.html. You can enter the TSN or the common name of the bird. It will return the ITIS page for that bird. Another way to obtain the ITIS page is to use the Google search engine. Enter the string ITIS followed by the taxonomic ID, for example "ITIS 178041" will return the page for the Allen's Hummingbird.

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Parts of a Standing birdX
Head Feathers and MarkingsX
Parts of a Flying birdX