Cliff Swallow

Q: What are the chances of seeing a Cliff Swallow in Saguaro National Park?

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Cliff Swallow sighting in Saguaro National Park, based on 2,601 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

Q: When is the best time to see Cliff Swallow in Saguaro National Park?

June has the highest sighting rate for Cliff Swallow in Saguaro National Park in our monthly data.

Petrochelidon pyrrhonota

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
FamilyHirundinidae (Swallows and Martins)
GenusPetrochelidon (Cliff Swallows and Allies)
SpeciesPetrochelidon pyrrhonota (Cliff Swallow)

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

at Saguaro National Park

2,601 Verified sightings at Saguaro National Park From 2019 to 2026

15,958 Verified sightings across all 105 parks From 2019 to 2026

June Best month highest sighting rate

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Cliff Swallow

The cliff swallow or American cliff swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) is a member of the passerine bird family Hirundinidae, the swallows and martins. The generic name Petrochelidon is derived from the Ancient Greek petros meaning "stone" and khelidon (χελιδών) "swallow", and the specific name pyrrhonota comes from purrhos meaning "flame-coloured" and -notos "-backed".

Cliff swallows are extremely social songbirds that can be found in large nesting colonies reaching over 2,000 nests. They are frequently seen flying overhead in large flocks during migration, gracefully foraging over fields for flying insects or perching tightly together on a wire preening under the sun.

Cliff swallows build gourd-shaped nests made from mud with small entrance holes. They build their nests tightly together, on top of one another, under bridges or alongside mountain cliffs. Living in large populations, these aerial insectivores use extensive vocalizations to communicate warnings or food availability to the other individuals.

The cliff swallow's average body length is 13 cm (5.1 in), and they have short legs and small bills with relatively long pointed wings. Adult cliff swallows have... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Saguaro National Park

Stelgidopteryx serripennis

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Hirundo rustica

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Progne subis

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Tachycineta thalassina

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Tachycineta bicolor

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Riparia riparia

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Auriparus flaviceps

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

LC Endemic

Haemorhous mexicanus

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Spinus psaltria

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Melozone aberti

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Pyrocephalus rubinus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Toxostoma curvirostre

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Badlands National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~60%
2	Yellowstone National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~30%
3	Isla del Coco National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
4	Kluane National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~20%
5	Channel Islands National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~20%
6	Grand Teton National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~20%
7	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
8	Emas National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~10%
9	Iberá National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	~10%
10	Wrangell-St. Elias National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
11	Wood Buffalo National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~10%
12	Redwood National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
13	Cahuita National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
14	Glacier National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
15	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
16	Jasper National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~10%
17	Banff National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~10%
18	Great Smoky Mountains National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
19	Big Bend National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
20	Elk Island National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~10%
21	Chagres National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
22	Saguaro National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
23	Death Valley National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
24	Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
25	Point Pelee National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	<5%
26	Rocky Mountain National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
27	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
28	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
29	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
30	Serra da Canastra National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
31	Congaree National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
32	Darién National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
33	Irazú Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
34	Lago de Yojoa	🇭🇳 Honduras	<5%
35	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
36	Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
37	Zion National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
38	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
39	Joshua Tree National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
40	Lauca National Park	🇨🇱 Chile	<5%
41	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
42	Grand Canyon National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
43	Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	<5%
44	Olympic National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
45	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
46	Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
47	Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
48	Yosemite National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
49	Ostional Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
50	Braulio Carrillo National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
51	Parque Natural Metropolitano	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
52	Everglades National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
53	Riding Mountain National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	<5%
54	Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
55	Great Bear Rainforest	🇨🇦 Canada	<5%
56	Shenandoah National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
57	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
58	Marino Ballena National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
59	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
60	Arenal Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
61	Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
62	Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
63	Yasuní National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
64	Tenorio Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
65	Big Cypress National Preserve	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
66	Tikal National Park	🇬🇹 Guatemala	<5%
67	Pacific Rim National Park Reserve	🇨🇦 Canada	<5%
68	Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
69	Denali National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
70	Iguazú National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	<5%
71	Galápagos Islands	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
72	Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
73	Los Quetzales National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
74	Acadia National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
75	Chapada Diamantina National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	Insufficient data
76	Nahanni National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	Insufficient data
77	Gates of the Arctic National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
78	San Lorenzo Protected Forest	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
79	Biotopo Cerro Cahuí	🇬🇹 Guatemala	Insufficient data
80	El Impenetrable National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	Insufficient data
81	La Tigra National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	Insufficient data
82	Celaque National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	Insufficient data
83	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
84	Guadalupe Mountains National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
85	Coiba National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
86	Voyageurs National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
87	Calakmul Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
88	Cañón del Sumidero National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
89	Chingaza National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data
90	Rincón de la Vieja National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
91	Chapada dos Guimarães National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	Insufficient data
92	Masaya Volcano National Park	🇳🇮 Nicaragua	Insufficient data
93	Amacayacu National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data
94	Itatiaia National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	Insufficient data
95	Madidi National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	Insufficient data
96	El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
97	Piedras Blancas National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
98	Chirripó National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
99	Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary	🇧🇿 Belize	Insufficient data
100	Iguaçu National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	Insufficient data
101	Tayrona National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data
102	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
103	Sierra de la Macarena National Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data
104	Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
105	Los Nevados National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Cliff Swallow in Saguaro National Park?

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Cliff Swallow sighting in Saguaro National Park, based on 2,601 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Cliff Swallow in Saguaro National Park?

June has the highest sighting rate for Cliff Swallow in Saguaro National Park in our monthly data.

← Back to Saguaro National Park

Cliff Swallow

About the Cliff Swallow

Closest Relatives at Saguaro National Park

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Barn Swallow

Purple Martin

Violet-green Swallow

Tree Swallow

Bank Swallow

Verdin

House Finch

Lesser Goldfinch

Abert's Towhee

Vermilion Flycatcher

Curve-billed Thrasher

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

Quick answers