Rich, warm, unpatterned brown above and dull white below with a dusky throat and breast, the Rough-winged swallow is inconspicuous and often overlooked when flying with other, more brightly colored swallows. It is often confused with the similarly plumaged Bank and immature Tree swallows. It is most often observed flying low over rivers and lakes, rarely high overhead.

It is a locally common summer resident statewide, most abundant at low to moderate elevations, usually near water. It usually nests singly, but sometimes in small loose colonies, rarely more than three pairs. Distribution is limited in many areas by lack of suitable nest sites. Nests are usually located along waterways, road-cuts, or quarries with nearby open areas for foraging.

Hear the call and song of the Norther rough-winged swallow

Photo by Julio Mulero, Flickr