Quantcast

Bank Swallow

Riparia ripariaOrder: PASSERIFORMESFamily: Swallows (Hirundinidae)

Breeding Location:

Grassland with scattered trees



Breeding Type:

Monogamous, Colonial



Breeding Population:

Widespread



Egg Color:

White



Number of Eggs:

3 - 7



Incubation Days:

14 - 16



Egg Incubator:

Both sexes



Nest Material:

Lined with grass, rootlets, weed stems, horsehair, and feathers.



Migration:

Migratory



Splitbar

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.

Breeding and 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.

Foraging and 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.

Vocalization

Bank Swallow: Song is a sharp, unmusical "pret" or "trit-trit".

Similar Species

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

.
Bird database and its related content, illustrations and media is Copyright © 2002 - 2007  Whatbird.com
All rights reserved. No part of this web site may be reproduced without written permission from Mitch Waite Group.
 Privacy Policy.
Percevia® Registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
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.
Family
Species Riparia riparia
Length4.75 Inches
Wingspan10.5 Inches

Bank Swallow

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.

● 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.
Bank Swallow Body Illustration
● 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