Barn Swallow vs Cluster Bat

Hirundo rustica compared with Myotis sodalis

Key Differences

• Barn Swallow is Least Concern while Cluster Bat is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Barn Swallow	Cluster Bat
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Aves (Birds)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Passeriformes (Songbirds)	Chiroptera (Bats)
Family	Hirundinidae	Vespertilionidae
Genus	Hirundo	Myotis
Species	Hirundo rustica	Myotis sodalis

Evolutionary Relationship

Barn Swallow and Cluster Bat share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Barn Swallow

LC — Least Concern

Cluster Bat

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Barn Swallow	Cluster Bat
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Barn Swallow

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (6 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela).

Cluster Bat

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found in United States. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Barn Swallow

Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List. Widespread and abundant across its range, with stable populations and no immediate conservation concerns.

Cluster Bat

Myotis sodalis, the Indiana bat or cluster bat, is a medium-sized insectivorous bat in the family Vespertilionidae endemic to the eastern United States. It is one of the most endangered bats in North America, listed as Endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN. The species is named for its behavior of clustering in extremely dense hibernation groups—sometimes thousands of bats per square meter—in specific limestone caves and mines during winter. These few critical hibernacula make the species extremely vulnerable to disturbance and disease. Since 2007, Indiana bats have suffered severe mortality from white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease caused by Pseudogymnoascus destructans that disrupts hibernation and causes mass starvation. During summer, Indiana bats roost under loose bark of dead trees and forage for insects over forested landscapes and riparian areas. Foraging individuals consume moths, beetles, and flying insects. Conservation efforts include cave gate protection, white-nose syndrome research, and summer habitat management on public and private lands across the eastern US.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇺🇸 United States