Photo: Becky Matsubara from El Sobrante, California / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Cave Swallow
Petrochelidon fulva
Cave Swallow (Petrochelidon fulva) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 14 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Cave Swallow (Petrochelidon fulva) is a member of the Hirundinidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 18.9 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 fulva
Quick facts
- Weight
- 18.9 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Hirundinidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Cave 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 Cave Swallow is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Cave Swallow (Petrochelidon fulva) is a species of bird in the Hirundinidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA s USA, Caribbean and Mexico.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 18.9 g, with a wing length of about 10.3 cm and a tail of around 4.8 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 988,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Cave Swallow?
The Cave Swallow is a small bird that weighs around 18.9 g.
Where does the Cave Swallow live?
The Cave Swallow is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA s USA, Caribbean and Mexico, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Cave Swallow belong to?
The Cave Swallow (Petrochelidon fulva) belongs to the Hirundinidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Cave Swallow eat?
The Cave Swallow is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Cave Swallow migrate?
The Cave Swallow is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Cave 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 Cave Swallow make?
1 real field recording of the Cave Swallow — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Cave Swallow's range?
The Cave Swallow has a mapped global range of about 988,000 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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