North American field guide
Cave Swallow
Petrochelidon fulva
Identification
Field notes
14 cm (5-6") Rare and local. Southern Texas, southern New Mexico. Accidental in southern Arizona, southern Florida. Limestone caves, culverts, sinkholes, under bridges.
Square tail, buffy rump. Resembles Cliff Swallow but the facial pattern is reversed. It has a lighter buffy throat and cheeks and a dark chestnut forehead.
Nests in colonies. Builds cup-like nests.
Song: "wheet" or loud "chu chu".
Details in the field
Photo gallery
Watch and learn
Videos
Birding Texas April 2010 Part 7
Credit: Hummingbirder1Birding Texas April 2010 Part 9
Credit: Hummingbirder1Where it lives
Distribution map
Source legend · original intervals
Loading the rebuilt map…
Unshaded in source · does not imply absence
Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant · 1 rule
These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.
Cave Swallow
1 ruleRule 1 11 criteria · confidence 1
- Was the RUMP or LOWER BACK light ?
- Yes · Unknown
- What colour was the BELLY ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
- What colour was the BREAST ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
- What colour was the THROAT ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
- What SHAPE was the BILL ?
- Straight and thick · Hooked · Downcurved · Unknown
- What LENGTH was the BILL ?
- Very short
- What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?
- Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Blue · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- How BIG was the bird ?
- Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
- What TYPE of bird was seen ?
- Swallow-like
- WHEN was the bird seen ?
- Spring · Summer · Fall
- WHERE was the bird seen ?
- Southeastern United States · Southwestern United States