Photo: Julian Londono from Manizales, Colombia / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Southern Rough-winged Swallow
Stelgidopteryx ruficollis
Southern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx ruficollis) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 12 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Southern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx ruficollis) is a member of the Hirundinidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 16.1 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Hirundinidae Swallows, Martins
- Genus Stelgidopteryx
- Species ruficollis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 16.1 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Hirundinidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Southern Rough-winged Swallow is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open scrub and shrubland, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Southern Rough-winged Swallow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Southern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx ruficollis) is a species of bird in the Hirundinidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA Costa Rica to se SA.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 16.1 g, with a wing length of about 10.4 cm and a tail of around 5.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 13.8 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Southern Rough-winged Swallow?
The Southern Rough-winged Swallow is a small bird that weighs around 16.1 g.
Where does the Southern Rough-winged Swallow live?
The Southern Rough-winged Swallow is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA Costa Rica to se SA, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Southern Rough-winged Swallow belong to?
The Southern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx ruficollis) belongs to the Hirundinidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Southern Rough-winged Swallow eat?
The Southern Rough-winged Swallow is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Southern Rough-winged Swallow migrate?
The Southern Rough-winged Swallow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Southern Rough-winged Swallow endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Southern Rough-winged Swallow make?
1 real field recording of the Southern Rough-winged Swallow can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Southern Rough-winged Swallow's range?
The Southern Rough-winged Swallow has a mapped global range of about 13.8 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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