Barn Swallow vs Black-collared Swallow
Hirundo rustica compared with Pygochelidon melanoleuca
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Barn Swallow | Black-collared Swallow |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Hirundo rustica | Pygochelidon melanoleuca |
| Order | Passeriformes | Passeriformes |
| Family | Hirundinidae | Hirundinidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 19.0 cm (7.5 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 33.0 cm (13.0 in) | 18.3 cm (7.2 in) |
| Weight | 19.0 g (0.67 oz) | 11.025 g (0.39 oz) |
| Diet | Aerial insects caught in continuous agile flight, including flies, beetles, moths, and aphids. Drinks by … | -- |
| Clutch Size | 2-7 | 3 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
Barn Swallow only
Black-collared Swallow only
None
Barn Swallow
Open farmland, meadows, and areas near water. Nests almost exclusively in human-made structures such as barns, bridges, and eaves.
Song & Call Comparison
Barn Swallow
A rapid, twittering song: a long stream of 'vit-vit-vit' and rolling chirps. Also gives a sharp 'vit' flight call. Song can last many minutes without pause. Musical and liquid.
Black-collared Swallow
Geographic Range & Migration
Barn Swallow
Breeds across the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Winters in South America, Africa, and South Asia.
Black-collared Swallow
Conservation Status
Barn Swallow
Black-collared Swallow
How to Tell Them Apart
Barn Swallow
Metallic blue-black upperparts, rufous forehead and throat, and pale buff to rufous underparts. Deeply forked tail with elongated outer streamers.
Short, wide, flat black bill adapted for catching insects in flight
Black-collared Swallow
About These Birds
Barn Swallow
The barn swallow is the most widespread swallow species in the world and has one of the longest migrations of any passerine. Its arrival signals spring across the Northern Hemisphere, inspiring cultural references from ancient Greece to modern poetry. Barn swallows have become almost entirely dependent on human structures for nesting.
Black-collared Swallow
The Black-collared Swallow is a distinctive South American swallow with glossy blue-black upperparts, white underparts, and a broad black collar across the upper breast. It inhabits rocky rivers and fast-flowing streams in lowland tropical forests and adjacent areas from Colombia and Venezuela south through Amazonian Brazil, often nesting in crevices of riverside rocks. It feeds on flying insects caught over water.