Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Northern Rough-winged SwallowNorthern Rough-winged SwallowNorthern Rough-winged Swallow

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Stelgidopteryx serripennis

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Denver

In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%

2,325 Verified sightings at Denver
15,150 In all 78 parks From 2019 to 2026
May Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Northern Rough-winged Swallow

The northern rough-winged swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis) is a small, migratory swallow. It is very similar to the southern rough-winged swallow, Stelgidopteryx ruficollis. The genus name, Stelgidopteryx, is from Ancient Greek and means "scraper wing" and the species name, serripennis, is derived from Latin and means "saw feather". In the common name, "rough-winged" refers to the serrated edge feathers on the wing of this bird; this feature would only be apparent when holding this bird.

Six subspecies of the northern rough-winged swallow are currently recognized. Stelgidopteryx serripennis serripennis is the nominate subspecies and can be found to occur in southern Alaska and Canada to the southern United States. They are found to usually winter in southern Florida and from southwestern Mexico to Panama. It was described by Audubon in 1838.

Stelgidopteryx serripennis psammochrous was described by Ludlow Griscom in 1929. It breeds in the southwestern US and winters from central Mexico to Panama. It can be differentiated from the nominate race by being paler, especially on the crown and rump.

Stelgidopteryx serripennis fulvipennis is... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Flight call0:41

Mexico · 2023

© Manuel Grosselet · XC782422 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Call0:22

United States · 2020

© Russ Wigh · XC567239 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Song0:09

United States · 2020

© Paul Marvin · XC534846 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Tikal National Park 🇬🇹 Guatemala
~40%
2 Lago de Yojoa 🇭🇳 Honduras
~40%
3 Cañón del Sumidero National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~30%
4 Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~20%
5 Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~20%
6 Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~20%
7 Arenal Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~20%
8 Death Valley National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
9 Big Bend National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
10 Cusuco National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~10%
11 Cabo Pulmo National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
12 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
13 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
14 Bahía de Loreto National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
15 Zion National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
16 Tenorio Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
17 Carara National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
18 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
19 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
20 Banff National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
21 Celestún Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
22 Grand Teton National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
23 Great Smoky Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
24 Badlands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
25 Cumbres de Monterrey National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
26 Redwood National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
27 Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
28 Rincón de la Vieja National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
29 Yosemite National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
30 Palo Verde National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
31 Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
32 La Tigra National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~10%
33 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
34 Yellowstone National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
35 Jasper National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
36 Pacific Rim National Park Reserve 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
37 Saguaro National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
38 Glacier National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
39 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
40 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
41 Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
42 El Triunfo 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
43 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
44 Padre Island National Seashore 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
45 Celaque National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
<5%
46 Biotopo Cerro Cahuí 🇬🇹 Guatemala
<5%
47 Calakmul Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
48 Pico Bonito National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
<5%
49 Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
50 Poás Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
51 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
52 Big Cypress National Preserve 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
53 Las Baulas Marine National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
54 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
55 Piedras Blancas National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
56 Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary 🇧🇿 Belize
<5%
57 Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
58 Grand Canyon National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
59 Chirripó National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
60 Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
61 Los Haitises National Park 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
<5%
62 Guadalupe Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
63 Congaree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
64 Cahuita National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
65 Ciénaga de Zapata 🇨🇺 Cuba
<5%
66 Parque Natural Metropolitano 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
67 Joshua Tree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
68 Santa Rosa National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
69 Soberanía National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
70 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
71 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
72 Rocky Mountain National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
73 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
74 Corcovado National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
75 Los Quetzales National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
76 Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
77 Bastimentos Island National Marine Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
78 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Mesa 🇺🇸 United States
~30%
2 Tegucigalpa 🇭🇳 Honduras
~30%
3 León 🇲🇽 México
~20%
4 Monterrey 🇲🇽 México
~20%
5 Ciudad Juárez 🇲🇽 México
~20%
6 Chicago 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
7 Guatemala City 🇬🇹 Guatemala
~20%
8 Los Angeles 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
9 San Luis Potosí 🇲🇽 México
~20%
10 Phoenix 🇺🇸 United States
~10%

Closest Relatives at Denver

Barn Swallow
LC

Barn Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hirundo rustica

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Tree Swallow
LC

Tree Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tachycineta bicolor

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Cliff Swallow
LC

Cliff Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Petrochelidon pyrrhonota

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Violet-green Swallow
LC

Violet-green Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tachycineta thalassina

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Bank Swallow
LC

Bank Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Riparia riparia

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
House Finch
LC

House Finch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Haemorhous mexicanus

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely
Black-capped Chickadee
LC

Black-capped Chickadee

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Poecile atricapillus

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
American Robin
LC

American Robin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdus migratorius

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Red-winged Blackbird
LC

Red-winged Blackbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Agelaius phoeniceus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Blue Jay
LC

Blue Jay

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cyanocitta cristata

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Black-billed Magpie
LC

Black-billed Magpie

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pica hudsonia

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
European Starling
LC

European Starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sturnus vulgaris

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Northern Rough-winged Swallow in Denver?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Rough-winged Swallow sighting in Denver on a given day, based on 2,325 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 78th most-seen of the 299 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Northern Rough-winged Swallow in Denver?

May

In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Rough-winged Swallow in Denver on a given day, against under 5% in August to March, the lowest months. That is one of Denver's wettest months, with about 60 mm of rain against 15 mm in January.

What time of day is best to see a Northern Rough-winged Swallow?

Between 7 and 10 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Northern Rough-winged Swallow sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Denver the best place to see a Northern Rough-winged Swallow?

27th of 46

Of the 46 cities where we can rate Northern Rough-winged Swallow sightings, Denver ranks 27th at about 10%. The best odds are in Mesa (United States, about 30%), Tegucigalpa (Honduras, about 30%) and León (México, about 20%).

Which relatives of the Northern Rough-winged Swallow live in Denver?

Same family: Hirundinidae

The closest relatives of the Northern Rough-winged Swallow that you can see in Denver (family Hirundinidae, Swallows and Martins) are Barn Swallow (about 20%), Tree Swallow (about 10%) and Cliff Swallow (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Northern Rough-winged Swallow sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Northern Rough-winged Swallow is recorded against all the birds logged in Denver (2,325 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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