Cliff Swallow
Cliff SwallowCliff SwallowCliff SwallowCliff Swallow

Cliff Swallow

Petrochelidon pyrrhonota

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
5–10% · With luck
overall probability at Big Bend National Park
258 Verified records at Big Bend National Park
April Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The cliff swallow or American cliff swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) is a member of the passerine bird family Hirundinidae, the swallows and martins. The generic name Petrochelidon is derived from the Ancient Greek petros meaning "stone" and khelidon (χελιδών) "swallow", and the specific name pyrrhonota comes from purrhos meaning "flame-coloured" and -notos "-backed". Cliff swallows are extremely social songbirds that can be found in large nesting colonies reaching over 2,000 nests. They are frequently seen flying overhead in large flocks during migration, gracefully foraging over fields for flying insects or perching tightly together on a wire preening under the sun. Cliff swallows build gourd-shaped nests made from mud with small entrance holes. They build their nests tightly together, on top of one another, under bridges or alongside mountain cliffs. Wikipedia →

5–10% of wildlife watchers report a Cliff Swallow sighting in Big Bend National Park, based on 258 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Big Bend National Park

Cave Swallow
LC Endemic

Cave Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Petrochelidon fulva

<5% · Rare
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
LC

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Stelgidopteryx serripennis

10–20% · With luck
Barn Swallow
LC

Barn Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hirundo rustica

5–10% · With luck
Violet-green Swallow
LC

Violet-green Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tachycineta thalassina

<5% · Rare
Bank Swallow
LC

Bank Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Riparia riparia

<5% · Rare
Tree Swallow
LC

Tree Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tachycineta bicolor

<5% · Rare
Northern Mockingbird
LC

Northern Mockingbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Mimus polyglottos

60–70% · Likely
Common Raven
LC

Common Raven

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Corvus corax

60–70% · Likely
House Finch
LC Endemic

House Finch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Haemorhous mexicanus

60–70% · Likely
Cactus Wren
LC

Cactus Wren

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus

60–70% · Likely
Pyrrhuloxia
LC

Pyrrhuloxia

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cardinalis sinuatus

50–60% · Likely
Yellow-rumped Warbler
LC

Yellow-rumped Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Setophaga coronata

50–60% · Likely

📅 Monthly Probability

<5
Jan
<5
Feb
<5
Mar
10–20
Apr
5–10
May
<5
Jun
<5
Jul
<5
Aug
<5
Sep
<5
Oct
<5
Nov
<5
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Badlands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
50–60%
2 Yellowstone National Park 🇺🇸 United States
20–30%
3 Isla del Coco National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
20–30%
4 Kluane National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
20–30%
5 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
6 Grand Teton National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
7 Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
10–20%
8 Emas National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
10–20%
9 Iberá National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
10–20%
10 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
11 Wood Buffalo National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
12 Redwood National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
13 Cahuita National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
5–10%
14 Glacier National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
15 Soberanía National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
5–10%
16 Jasper National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
5–10%
17 Banff National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
5–10%
18 Great Smoky Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
19 Big Bend National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
20 Elk Island National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
5–10%
21 Chagres National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
5–10%
22 Death Valley National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
23 Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
24 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
5–10%
25 Rocky Mountain National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
26 Bastimentos Island National Marine Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
27 Palo Verde National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
28 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
29 Serra da Canastra National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
30 Congaree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
31 Darién National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
32 Irazú Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
33 Lago de Yojoa 🇭🇳 Honduras
<5%
34 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
35 Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
36 Zion National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
37 Celestún Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
38 Joshua Tree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
39 Lauca National Park 🇨🇱 Chile
<5%
40 Las Baulas Marine National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
41 Grand Canyon National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
42 Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
<5%
43 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
44 Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
45 Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
46 Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
47 Parque Natural Metropolitano 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
48 Yosemite National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
49 Ostional Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
50 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
51 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
52 Riding Mountain National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
53 Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
54 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
55 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
56 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
57 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
58 Carara National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
59 Arenal Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
60 Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
61 Cumbres de Monterrey National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
62 Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve 🇪🇨 Ecuador
<5%
63 Yasuní National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
<5%
64 Tenorio Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
65 Big Cypress National Preserve 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
66 Pacific Rim National Park Reserve 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
67 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
68 Denali National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
69 Iguazú National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
<5%
70 Galápagos Islands 🇪🇨 Ecuador
<5%
71 Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
72 Los Quetzales National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
73 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
74 Chapada Diamantina National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data
75 Nahanni National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
76 Gates of the Arctic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
77 San Lorenzo Protected Forest 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
78 Biotopo Cerro Cahuí 🇬🇹 Guatemala
Insufficient data
79 El Impenetrable National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
Insufficient data
80 La Tigra National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
81 Celaque National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
82 Santa Rosa National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
83 Guadalupe Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
84 Coiba National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
85 Voyageurs National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
86 Calakmul Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
87 Cañón del Sumidero National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
88 Chingaza National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data
89 Rincón de la Vieja National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
90 Chapada dos Guimarães National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data
91 Masaya Volcano National Park 🇳🇮 Nicaragua
Insufficient data
92 Amacayacu National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data
93 Itatiaia National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data
94 Madidi National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
Insufficient data
95 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
96 Piedras Blancas National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
97 Chirripó National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
98 Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary 🇧🇿 Belize
Insufficient data
99 Iguaçu National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data
100 Tayrona National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data
101 Corcovado National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
102 Sierra de la Macarena National Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data
103 Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
104 Los Nevados National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Cliff Swallow in Big Bend National Park?

About 6% of wildlife watchers report a Cliff Swallow sighting in Big Bend National Park, based on 258 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Cliff Swallow in Big Bend National Park?

April has the highest sighting rate for Cliff Swallow in Big Bend National Park in our monthly data.

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