Stelgidopteryx
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S. serripennis |
Stelgidopteryx (Baird, 1858) is a small genus of swallows. It contains two species:
- Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Stelgidopteryx serripennis, a migratory North America bird.
- Southern Rough-winged Swallow, Stelgidopteryx ruficollis, a partial migrant breeding in Central and South America.
Adults of both species are brown on top with lighter underparts and a slightly forked tail. They nest in cavities but do not excavate their holes or form colonies.
These birds forage in flight over water or fields, usually flying low. They eat insects.
"Rough-winged" refers to the serrated edge feathers on the wing of this genus; this feature would only be apparent in the hand.
[edit] References
- Swallows and Martins by Turner and Rose ISBN 0-7470-3205-5
- Birds of Venezuela by Hilty, ISBN 0-7136-6418-5
- Birds of Trinidad and Tobago by ffrench, ISBN 0-7136-6759-1
