Photo: Richard Bowdler Sharpe / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Red-throated Cliff Swallow
Petrochelidon rufigula
Red-throated Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon rufigula) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
The Red-throated Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon rufigula) is a member of the Hirundinidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 15.9 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 Petrochelidon
- Species rufigula
Where it lives
Southern Gabon to central DRCongo and south to central Angola and central Zambia
Quick facts
- Weight
- 15.9 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Hirundinidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Red-throated Cliff Swallow is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Red-throated Cliff Swallow is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Red-throated Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon rufigula) is a species of bird in the Hirundinidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF s Gabon to c DRCongo and s to c Angola and c Zambia.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 15.9 g, with a wing length of about 9.6 cm and a tail of around 5.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Red-throated Cliff Swallow?
The Red-throated Cliff Swallow is a small bird that weighs around 15.9 g.
Where does the Red-throated Cliff Swallow live?
The Red-throated Cliff Swallow is found across Africa with a range covering AF s Gabon to c DRCongo and s to c Angola and c Zambia, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Red-throated Cliff Swallow belong to?
The Red-throated Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon rufigula) belongs to the Hirundinidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Red-throated Cliff Swallow eat?
The Red-throated Cliff Swallow is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Red-throated Cliff Swallow migrate?
The Red-throated Cliff Swallow is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Red-throated Cliff 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 Red-throated Cliff Swallow make?
1 real field recording of the Red-throated Cliff Swallow — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Red-throated Cliff Swallow's range?
The Red-throated Cliff Swallow has a mapped global range of about 1.3 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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