Black-capped Swallow (Atticora pileata)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Black-capped Swallow

Atticora pileata Gould, 1858

12–14 cmLength12 gWeight

The black-capped swallow (Atticora pileata) is a species of bird in the family Hirundinidae, the swallows and martins.

Busiest months: March · Most records: Guatemala, Mexico, El Salvador

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Black-capped Swallow has been recorded at 28 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 3 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Finca Rubel ChaimGuatemala632 records
  2. RNP ChajbaocGuatemala573 records
  3. Parque Regional Municipal Zunil – Fuentes GeorginasGuatemala507 records
More places
  1. Restaurante Rincón Suizo – sendero en bosque de pino-encinoGuatemala380 records
  2. Finca El PilarGuatemala322 records
  3. Godinez – Aldea Los RoblesGuatemala304 records
  4. Paraiso Verde LodgeGuatemala292 records
  5. Finca Caleras ChichavacGuatemala264 records
  6. RNP Ranchitos del QuetzalGuatemala238 records
  7. Reserva de la Biosfera El Triunfo – Campamento El TriunfoMexico217 records

Countries and regions with the most records

GuatemalaMexicoEl Salvador

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The black-capped swallow (Atticora pileata) is a species of bird in the family Hirundinidae, the swallows and martins. It is found in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Mexico.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Black-capped Swallow?

The Black-capped Swallow is about 12–14 cm long and weighs around 12 g.

Where does the Black-capped Swallow live?

Its breeding range: Middle America: southern Mexico to western El Salvador. It is most often recorded in Guatemala, Mexico and El Salvador.

When is the best time to see the Black-capped Swallow?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in March (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Black-capped Swallow endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Black-capped Swallow as Least Concern.

What does the Black-capped Swallow eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Black-capped Swallow in?

It belongs to the family Swallows, Martins (Hirundinidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Length
12–14 cm
Weight
12 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Feeds in the air
Migration
Partial migrant
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
93 mm
Tail
57 mm
Bill
8 mm
Tarsus
11 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Middle America: southern Mexico to western El Salvador

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Order
Passerines Passeriformes
Family
Swallows, Martins Hirundinidae
Genus
Atticora

Other birds in the genus Atticora

White-banded SwallowWhite-banded SwallowAtticora fasciataWhite-thighed SwallowWhite-thighed SwallowAtticora tibialisAfrican River MartinAfrican River MartinPseudochelidon eurystominaWhite-eyed River MartinWhite-eyed River MartinPseudochelidon sirintaraeSquare-tailed Saw-wingSquare-tailed Saw-wingPsalidoprocne nitensWhite-headed Saw-wingWhite-headed Saw-wingPsalidoprocne albicepsMountain Saw-wingMountain Saw-wingPsalidoprocne fuliginosaBlack Saw-wingBlack Saw-wingPsalidoprocne pristopteraFanti Saw-wingFanti Saw-wingPsalidoprocne obscuraGrey-rumped SwallowGrey-rumped SwallowPseudhirundo griseopyga
Black-capped Swallow

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Claire Dallies. ↗

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