Bank Swallow

Riparia ripariaOrder: PASSERIFORMES Family: Swallows (Hirundinidae)

Codes: Common Name: BANS Scientific Name: RIPRIP ITIS Taxonomic No.: 178436

Birdman Mel's Backyard Tips

Overview

Bank Swallow: Small swallow with brown upperparts, and a brown breast band seperating white underparts from white throat and chin. Tail is notched. Brown legs, feet. The smallest North American swallow. Swift, erratic flight, alternating several shallow, rapid wing beats with short to long glides.

Range and Habitat

Bank Swallow: Breed from Alaska across northern Canada south to California, Texas, and Virginia. Spends winters in the tropics and the Old World. Preferred habitats include riverbanks, creeks, seashores, and lakes.

Topo Map: Swallow-like Body

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"pret", "trit-trit"

Interesting Facts

The scientific name of the Bank Swallow, Riparia, means “riverbank.”

This species originally nested in the steep, sandy banks of rivers but have adapted to using many different man-made excavations.

Most pairs in breeding colonies lay their eggs at the same time so that they will be feeding nestlings at the same time. This means there will be a large number of adults searching for swarms of insects, which makes it more likely they will find them.

A group of bank swallows are known collectively as "a foreclosure of swallows."

Bird Term Glossary

Author

Gary Owen Dick

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

Bank Swallow

● Song: "pret", "trit-trit"

● Foraging & Feeding: Bank Swallow: Feeds mostly on flying insects such as termites, treehoppers, leafhoppers, beetles, moths, and flies that it captures on the wing. Occasionally preys upon spiders or ants if there is a scarcity of aerial prey; forages singly or in flocks.

● Breeding & nesting: Bank Swallow: Three to seven white eggs are laid in a grass and feather nest in a chamber at the end of a deep tunnel, usually near the top of a steep bank. Nests in colonies; nesting banks may sometimes appear riddled with holes. Incubation ranges from 14 to 16 days and is carried out by both parents.

● Similar species: Bank Swallow: Northern Rough-winged and immature Tree swallows are generally larger and lack dark breast band.

Flight Pattern

Swift erratic fluttering flight on shallow wing beats.

● Range & Habitat: Bank Swallow: Breed from Alaska across northern Canada south to California, Texas, and Virginia. Spends winters in the tropics and the Old World. Preferred habitats include riverbanks, creeks, seashores, and lakes.

^BreedingMonogamous, Colonial

^PopulationWidespread

^MigrationMigratory

^Weight0.5 Ounces

Swallow-like Body

Underparts

Belly, undertail coverts, chest, flanks, and foreneck.

Upperparts

Back, rump, hindneck, wings, and crown.

Breast

The upper front part of a bird.

Chin

The area of the face just below the bill.

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

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.

Field Guide to Birds of North America

Bank Swallow

Birdman Mel's Backyard Tips

Overview

Range and Habitat

Topo Map: Swallow-like Body

Listen to Call

Voice Text

Interesting Facts

Bird Term Glossary

Author

Related Birds

Bank Swallow

Flight Pattern