: A Fascinating Bird
If you’re a bird enthusiast, then the Cave Swallow is one species that should be on your must-see list. This small migratory bird belongs to the Hirundinidae family and is native to North America. In this post, we’ll take an in-depth look at this fascinating creature.
Basic Description
The Cave Swallow has a distinctive appearance with its steel-blue upperparts and cinnamon-buff underparts. They have long pointed wings and forked tails, which aid their flight greatly. These birds measure between 4.7 – 5 inches in length with a wingspan of around 11 inches.
Where To Find This Bird
You can spot these swallows in various locations throughout North America where they migrate seasonally between breeding sites and wintering areas. During breeding seasons, they inhabit caves or rocky overhangs in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona or Oklahoma.
Habitat
As mentioned above, during the breeding season cave swallows occupy caves located near water bodies such as rivers or lakeshores for nesting purposes. However, outside of the breeding months (June-August), these creatures prefer open habitats like grasslands and deserts where they follow insect blooms for sustenance.
Food
Cave Swallows feed mainly on flying insects like beetles ants or moths which they catch while airborne using their sharp vision skills to navigate through dense clouds of insects with ease.
Cool Facts
Did you know that Cave Swallows are territorial birds? They will fiercely defend their nest sites from other birds (even those within their own species). Another interesting fact about them is that some populations maintain multiple nests scattered across several different locations?
In conclusion,
If you ever get the chance to see a Cave Swallow up close; don’t miss it. These birds are a wonder of nature with their unique appearance, interesting behaviors and helpful contributions to insect control.
