Measurements
Both Sexes
- Length
- 4.7–5.5 in
12–14 cm - Wingspan
- 9.8–11.4 in
25–29 cm - Weight
- 0.4–0.7 oz
10–19 g
Other Names
- Sand Martin (British)
- Hirondelle de rivage (French)
- Golondrina ribereña, Golondrina Barranquera (Spanish)
Cool Facts
- A Bank Swallow colony may range from 10 nests to nearly 2,000.
- The male Bank Swallow often pursues females other than its mate at the colony and attempts to mate with them. The male is most likely to chase a female in her fertile period.
Habitat
Lake/Pond
Food
Insects
Flying insects.
Nesting
Nesting Facts
- Clutch Size
- 1–9 eggs
- Egg Description
- White.
- Condition at Hatching
- Naked and helpless.
Nest Description
Flat platform of grass, straw, rootlets, plant stalks, or leaves, placed in long burrow in bank. Nests in colonies.
Nest Placement
Burrow
Behavior
Aerial Forager
Catches insects in flight.
Conservation
Least Concern
Populations may be declining in some areas.
Credits
- Garrison, B. A. 1999. Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia). In The Birds of North America, No. 414 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.