Cliff Swallow look-alikes
Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
Spotted a bird? Identify it instantly with the Birdby app
Open the appSeveral birds can be mistaken for the Cliff Swallow. Compare the key differences below to confirm your sighting.
Birds to compare
Barn Swallow
Hirundo rustica
Key differences
The Barn Swallow has a deeply forked tail (Cliff Swallow's is square-tipped), a dark blue-black back, and a rufous forehead and throat that extends to the belly, lacking the Cliff Swallow's pale forehead and dark rump patch. Barn Swallows also build open cup-shaped mud nests, not enclosed gourds.
Cave Swallow
Petrochelidon fulva
Key differences
Cave Swallows are very similar but have a rufous (orange-brown) forehead and throat, contrasting with the Cliff Swallow's pale forehead and darker throat. The rump patch of the Cave Swallow is also paler, more cinnamon-colored, and less distinctly chestnut than the Cliff Swallow's. Cave Swallows are primarily found in the southern US and Mexico.
Bank Swallow
Riparia riparia
Key differences
Bank Swallows are smaller, duller brown above, and white below with a distinct dark breast band. They lack the colorful head and rump patches of the Cliff Swallow and nest in burrows dug into sandy banks.
Explore the Cliff Swallow
Identify birds anywhere
Free on iOS, Android, and Web. Photo & sound identification, full species database, and your personal life list.