Cliff Swallow

Petrochelidon pyrrhonota

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Cordats)
ClassAves (Aus)
OrderPasseriformes
FamilyHirundinidae (Swallows and Martins)
GenusPetrochelidon (Cliff Swallows and Allies)
SpeciesPetrochelidon pyrrhonota (Cliff Swallow)

Insufficient data

overall probability at Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve

1 Verified records at Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve

☀️ 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 →

Closest Relatives at Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve

LC Endemic

Petrochelidon fulva

<5% · Rare

Stelgidopteryx serripennis

20–30% · Possible

Hirundo rustica

10–20% · With luck

Tachycineta albilinea

Progne subis

Progne chalybea

Tachycineta bicolor

Riparia riparia

Quiscalus mexicanus

Mimus gilvus

Myiozetetes similis

Dives dives

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

📅 Monthly Probability

📊

Fewer than 5 records of Cliff Swallow at Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve — not enough to chart months honestly.

☀️ When They're Spotted

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

☀️Diurnal

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

← Back to Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve

Cliff Swallow

Closest Relatives at Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve

Cave Swallow

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Barn Swallow

Mangrove Swallow

Purple Martin

Gray-breasted Martin

Tree Swallow

Bank Swallow

Great-tailed Grackle

Tropical Mockingbird

Social Flycatcher

Melodious Blackbird

📅 Monthly Probability

☀️ When They're Spotted

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found