Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Stelgidopteryx serripennis (Audubon, 1838)

13–15 cmLength16 gWeight

The northern rough-winged swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis) is a small, migratory swallow.

Busiest months: May · Most records: United States, Canada, Mexico

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Northern Rough-winged Swallow has been recorded at 1,126 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 21 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary, Lincoln Park, ChicagoUnited States15,348 records
  2. Sweetwater WetlandsUnited States14,372 records
  3. Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water RanchUnited States11,701 records
More places
  1. John Heinz NWR – impoundmentUnited States9,459 records
  2. Henderson Bird Viewing PreserveUnited States6,487 records
  3. Glendale Recharge PondsUnited States6,259 records
  4. Point Pelee National ParkCanada5,538 records
  5. IRWD San Joaquin Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary, IrvineUnited States5,297 records
  6. Canoa Ranch Conservation ParkUnited States5,073 records
  7. Estero Llano Grande SP WBCUnited States4,649 records

Countries and regions with the most records

United StatesCanadaMexicoCosta RicaBelizeGuatemalaHondurasEl 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 northern rough-winged swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis) is a small, migratory swallow. It is very similar to the southern rough-winged swallow, Stelgidopteryx ruficollis.

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

Questions

How big is the Northern Rough-winged Swallow?

The Northern Rough-winged Swallow is about 13–15 cm long and weighs around 16 g.

Where does the Northern Rough-winged Swallow live?

Its breeding range: North America, Middle America: widespread. It is most often recorded in United States, Canada and Mexico.

When is the best time to see the Northern Rough-winged Swallow?

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

Is the Northern Rough-winged Swallow endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Northern Rough-winged Swallow as Least Concern.

What does the Northern Rough-winged Swallow eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Northern Rough-winged Swallow in?

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

At a glance

Length
13–15 cm
Weight
16 g
Habitat
Shrubland
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Feeds in the air
Migration
Migratory
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
107 mm
Tail
48 mm
Bill
10 mm
Tarsus
11 mm

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

Range

North America, Middle America: widespread

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Order
Passerines Passeriformes
Family
Swallows, Martins Hirundinidae
Genus
Stelgidopteryx

Other birds in the genus Stelgidopteryx

Southern Rough-winged SwallowSouthern Rough-winged SwallowStelgidopteryx ruficollisAfrican 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 griseopygaWhite-backed SwallowWhite-backed SwallowCheramoeca leucosterna
Northern Rough-winged Swallow

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

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