The southern rough-winged swallow is a small swallow. It was first formally described as Hirundo ruficollis by French ornithologist Louis Vieillot in 1817 in his Nouveau Dictionnaire d'Histoire Naturelle.
Region
Central and South America (Neotropics)
Typical Environment
Found from parts of Central America south through much of South America to northern Argentina and Uruguay. It favors open and semi-open habitats, especially near rivers, lakes, and wetlands. The species readily uses human-altered landscapes such as farmland, towns, and road cuts. Breeding often occurs along riverbanks and earthen embankments where suitable nesting cavities or soft soils are available.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The southern rough-winged swallow is a small Neotropical swallow, first described by Louis Vieillot in 1817 as Hirundo ruficollis. Its name refers to the tiny serrations on the outer wing feathers that feel rough to the touch. It nests in burrows in earthen banks or uses man-made cavities like drainpipes and culverts. Generally common and adaptable, it often forages low over water and open fields.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
fast and agile with short rapid wingbeats and brief glides
Social Behavior
Typically nests singly or in small, loose colonies, often in burrows in earthen banks, crevices, or drainpipes. Pairs are monogamous during the breeding season and defend the immediate nest area. Clutches usually contain 3–5 white eggs, and both adults feed the nestlings.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
Vocalizations are soft, dry trills and buzzy chips given in flight and near nest sites. The song is a modest series of twitters, less musical than many other swallows.
Plumage
Upperparts plain brown; underparts pale buff to whitish with a warmer rufous throat and upper breast. Tail is slightly notched and wings are long and narrow. Overall appearance is clean and unmarked with no wing bars or tail spots.
Diet
An aerial insectivore that captures flies, beetles, winged ants, termites, and other small flying insects. It forages on the wing, often low over water or open ground. During insect hatches it may concentrate along rivers and lakes and join mixed flocks of swallows and swifts.
Preferred Environment
Most often feeds along rivers, lakeshores, open pastures, and edges of wetlands. Also hunts over agricultural fields and in urban airspace where insects are abundant.
