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BirdingBy Fred J. Kane
Hirundo pyrrhonota Vieillot The Cliff Swallows usually come into view in early days of May. In summer they stay only in the surrounding area of their usual nesting settlements. The number of this birds breeding in the provinces seems to have declined. Birders see small numbers after the month of August. The average length of the Cliff Swallow is from three to five inches and is a sparrow sized swallow.
The adult Cliff Swallow has dark iridescent blue coloring, rump of buffy orange color; and a white forehead. The top of their head, throat and back are colored black Their cheek and throat are colored chestnut while their chest and the nape of their neck shows gray. The Cliff Swallow has a dark blue, black space on its chest. Their stomach is ivory and the end of their tail is almost square and they have a small beak. Juvenile Cliff Swallows have similar plumage as the adults but duller. The Cliff Swallows build their gourd shaped nest of dirt balls and grass and line the nest with soft grass and feathers. They usually attach the nest to the outside wall under the eaves of a barn or other building. Once in awhile bird watchers see a lone Cliff Swallow nest attached to the outside of a porch or home. Usually the Cliff Swallows nests in colonies. This swallow will nest communally in mud nests in open country near buildings or cliffs, near lakeshores and, under bridges, in barns and caves.
The male courtship flight is followed by strutting on ground for the female. After mating the female Cliff Swallow lays four to five white eggs. The eggs have tiny spots of cinnamon covering the entire outer surface. She begins to lay her eggs around the first days of June and sits on the eggs for about two weeks and in three to 3 ½ weeks the young swallows begin to fledge. Usually the Cliff Swallows have one brood each year.
The Cliff Swallow breeds from the central part of Alaska to northern section of Nova Scotia and south across most of the United States on into Central Mexico. Also bird watcher see the Cliff Swallow through out California except n the southern deserts and at higher elevations The Cliff Swallows migrate and spend their winters from October through February in Brazil and south to other South American countries. Many bird watchers in the agricultural districts believe the House Sparrow caused the decline in the Cliff Swallow population in recent years. The House Sparrow seems to take over the swallow’s mud nests. The House Sparrow takes over the swallow’s nest by fighting with the Cliff Swallow before it even lays her eggs.
For people who see a Cliff Swallow starting to build its nest on one of their building, it is suggested they dump a pail of water often on clay like soil, to make a mud hole near the birds’ new nest site. The birds will make and gather mud pellets and carry them to their new nests.
Like its close relative the Barn Swallow the Cliff Swallow has taken advantage of man. At one time only building their on cliff faces in the west, Cliff Swallows now nest under bridges, culverts, and the eaves of buildings. Some amateur bird watchers confuse the Cliff Swallow with a Barn Swallow. The Barn Swallow has a deeply forked tail while the Cliff Swallow’s tail is almost square. The buff rump patch worn by the Cliff Swallow is a good field mark and the Barn Swallow’s rump is blue, black in color. Our breeding Cliff Swallows are of the subspecies Hirundo pyrrhonota pyrrhonota of Central and Northwestern North America. Drifting swallows from that region do not appear especially in late fall. The Cliff Swallows diet consists exclusively of insects but sometime eat fruit. They also drink water.
Their voice consists of a continuous high pitched prattle and peeping. A similar species to the Cliff Swallow is the Cave Swallow of Texas and Southwest. The Cliff Swallows usually return on schedule for their publicized arrival on March 19 at The Mission San Juan Capistrano.
