Rondeau Ric

Had the opportunity to watch cliff swallows building a nests. This one was almost ready for eggs. Chatham-Kent, July 7, 2023. Petrochelidon pyrrhonota. Although the Cliff Swallow can nest solitarily, it usually nests in colonies. Colonies tend to be small in the East, but further west they can number up to 3,700 nests in one spot. source -Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Cliff swallow, Blenheim Sewage Lagoons, May 1, 2023. Chasing a laughing gull but found about 500 tree swallows, and a cliff swallow and assorted shore birds. Petrochelidon pyrrhonota. When a Cliff Swallow has had a hard time finding food, it will watch its neighbors in the nesting colony and follow one to food when it leaves. Although sharing of information about food at the colony seems unintentional, when a swallow finds food away from the colony during poor weather conditions it may give a specific call that alerts other Cliff Swallows that food is available. By alerting other swallows to a large insect swarm an individual may ensure that the swarm is tracked and that it can follow the swarm effectively. source - allaboutbirds-org