South African Cliff Swallow
Petrochelidon spilodera
LCLeast Concern
- Family
- Swallows (Hirundinidae)
- Order
- Passeriformes
Overview
The South African cliff swallow (Petrochelidon spilodera), also known as the South African swallow, is a species of bird in the family Hirundinidae native southern Africa. It winters to the lower Congo Basin.
Nests are commonly built from mud under artificial structures such as huts and bridges. It is well known for its supposed ability to carry coconuts, although this claim has little to no credibility outside of the Monty Python fictional universe.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
Southern Zimbabwe and South Africa; winters to lower Congo basin.
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: South African cliff swallow
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
