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Bank Swallow

Riparia riparia

Least Concern (IUCN Red List)Swallows
Bank Swallow, photographed by Míša Peterka

Photo: Míša Peterka · iNaturalist · CC-BY-NC 4.0 (licence)

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Call and song

About the Bank Swallow

Small and compact swallow, with quick flicking wingbeats. Brown above and white below, with a contrasting dark chest band. Note the relatively long, notched tail and narrow, pointed wings. Breeds in colonies; builds nest by tunneling into sandbanks. Can be seen over any open habitat including fields, marshes, and ponds, often in mixed flocks with other species of swallows. Compare with other small brownish swallows where overlaps occur in its extensive global range.

Species account: eBird.org, fetched 2025-12-26 · How these pages are made

Where it has been recorded

Recorded in 210 of the 253 countries we have eBird lists for. Each opens that country's checklist.

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