Summary

  • Natural history: Unlike most swallows, the Northern Rough-winged Swallow doesn’t dig its own nest burrow, instead moving into holes abandoned by kingfishers, small mammals, or Bank Swallows, and it often nests as scattered, solitary pairs along stream banks, which makes it harder for observers to find than its more conspicuous colonial relatives. In one unusual case on Grand Isle, four adults were seen cooperatively feeding a single brood of five young, likely after a neighboring pair’s nest failed and the displaced adults joined in nearby.
  • Status in VT: Decreased by 5% (58 to 55 blocks). Greatest decrease in Southern Green Mountains.
  • Data from other research: No additional data for VT.
  • Conservation status: State rank S4B
  • Other atlases: NY: 21%; PA: 43%; ON: -29%
  • VT’s role in North American range: VT is within the core of the range.
  • Causes of change since first Atlas: Unknown.
  • Management/Monitoring recommendations:No current recommendations.

Population Trends

Northern Rough-winged Swallow graph

First Vermont Breeding Bird Atlas (1976-1981)

Species Account

Second Vermont Breeding Bird Atlas (2003 – 2007)

Species Account

Northern Rough-winged Swallow Map 1Northern Rough-winged Swallow Table 1Northern Rough-winged Swallow Table 2

Change in Distribution

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Northern Rough-winged Swallow Map 2Northern Rough-winged Swallow Table 3

Links

Vermont eBird

Encyclopedia of Life

All About Birds