I’ve observed and photographed Cliff Swallows collecting construction material for their nests countless times over the years and it’s always been mud – pure mud with nothing else mixed in. Barn Swallows are known to mix grass and vegetation into the mud for their nests, presumably for the same reason many human civilizations mixed straw into mud when making adobe bricks, but according to the literature Cliff Swallows use mud and mud only.<\/p>\n
Here’s what Cornell’s Birds of the World has to say about Cliff Swallow nest construction material:<\/p>\n
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- “grass is not mixed into mud, as in Barn Swallow nests”<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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But apparently the Cliff Swallow below, photographed in the mountains four days ago, hadn’t read the Cliff Swallow nest construction manual. Both sexes construct the nest so I don’t know the sex of this bird but I’m going to refer to ‘her’ as female.<\/p>\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/cliff-swaallow-5823-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"cliff-swaallow-5823-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\n1\/4000, f\/5.6, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n
When collecting mud Cliff Swallows don’t just grab one gob of it in their bill and fly off with it. Instead they take multiple “bites” of the mud as if they’re trying to pack as much of it into their bill as is physically possible.<\/p>\n
This little lady picked up a mud-soaked gob of grass (or vegetation similar to grass) at the beginning of her attempt to pack her bill. After this photo was taken she attempted to load up with additional mud before she flew off to her nest.<\/p>\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/cliff-swaallow-5823-big-crop-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"cliff-swaallow-5823-big-crop-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\nIn my view there’s no chance she picked up the vegetation by mistake. There’s just too much of it and she didn’t discard it before she…<\/p>\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/cliff-swaallow-5844-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"cliff-swaallow-5844-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\n1\/3200, f\/5.6, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n
eventually flew off to add it to her nest construction project.<\/p>\n
Cliff Swallows do use dry grass to line the interior of their nest after it’s been constructed and has dried out but I’ve never seen them collecting vegetation mixed in with the wet mud for nest construction and Cornell says they don’t do it. So I thought what this bird was doing was both unusual and noteworthy.<\/p>\n
Do I think it’s a big deal – no. But I do think it’s interesting.<\/p>\n
Besides, I liked this last shot so this gives me an excuse to post it…<\/p>\n
Ron<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
An unusual variation on Cliff Swallow nest construction material.<\/p>\n