Birds Guide

Swallows and Martins
Welcome Swallow
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia   Phylum: Chordata   Class: Aves   Order: Passeriformes   Family: Hirundinidae Vigors, 1825
Genera
Many, see text.

The swallows and martins are a group of passerine birds in the family Hirundinidae which are characterised by their adaptation to aerial feeding. Swallow is also used in Europe as a synonym for the Barn Swallow.

This family comprises two subfamilies: Pseudochelidoninae (the river martins of the genus Pseudochelidon) and Hirundininae (all other swallows and martins). Within the Hirundiniae, the name martin tends to be used for the squarer-tailed species, and the name swallow for the more fork-tailed species; however, there is no scientific distinction between these two groups.

They have adapted to hunting insects on the wing by developing a slender streamlined body, and long pointed wings. Like the unrelated swifts and nightjars, which hunt in a similar way, they have short bills, but a wide gape.

Mud nests made by swallows.

Their feet are designed for perching rather than walking, and the front toes are partially joined at the base. Many species have long tails.

Swallows typically build mud nests close to overhead shelter in locations that are protected from both the weather and predators.

Many cave and cliff dwelling species of swallow nest in large colonies. In historical times, the introduction of man-made stone structures such as barns and bridges, together with forest clearance, has led to an abundance of colony sites around the globe, significantly increasing the breeding ranges of some species. Birds living in large colonies typically have to contend with both ectoparasites and conspecific nest parasitism. Old males benefit most from coloniality, since they are able to maintain their own nests and benefit from frequent extra-pair copulations.

Subfamily Pseudochelidoninae (river martins)

• Pseudochelidon
  • African River Martin Pseudochelidon eurystomina
    White-eyed River Martin Pseudochelidon sirintarae

Subfamily Hirundininae (all other swallows & martins)

• Psalidoprocne
  • Square-tailed Rough-winged Swallow Psalidoprocne nitens
    Cameroon Mountain Rough-winged Swallow Psalidoprocne fuliginosa
    White-headed Rough-winged Swallow Psalidoprocne albiceps
    Black Rough-winged Swallow Psalidoprocne pristoptera
    Fanti Rough-winged Swallow Psalidoprocne obscura
    Eastern Saw-Wing (Swallow) Psalidoprocne orientalis
    Black Saw-Wing (Swallow) Psalidoprocne holomelaena
• Pseudhirundo
  • Grey-rumped Swallow Pseudhirundo griseopyga
• Cheramoeca
  • White-backed Swallow Cheramoeca leucosternus
• Phedina
  • Mascarene Martin Phedina borbonica
    Congo Martin Phedina brazzae
• Riparia
  • Brown-throated Sand Martin Riparia paludicola
    Congo Sand Martin Riparia congica
    Sand Martin Riparia riparia
    Pale Martin Riparia diluta
    Banded Martin Riparia cincta
• Tachycineta
  • Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor
    Violet-green Swallow Tachycineta thalassina
    Golden Swallow Tachycineta euchrysea
    Bahama Swallow Tachycineta cyaneoviridis
    Tumbes Swallow Tachycineta stolzmanni
    Mangrove Swallow Tachycineta albilinea
    White-winged Swallow Tachycineta albiventer
    White-rumped Swallow Tachycineta leucorrhoa
    Chilean Swallow Tachycineta meyeni
• Progne
  • Purple Martin Progne subis
    Cuban Martin Progne cryptoleuca
    Caribbean Martin Progne dominicensis
    Sinaloa Martin Progne sinaloae
    Grey-breasted Martin Progne chalybea
    Galapagos Martin Progne modesta
    Peruvian Martin Progne murphyi
    Southern Martin Progne elegans
    Brown-chested Martin Progne tapera
• Notiochelidon
  • Brown-bellied Swallow Notiochelidon murina
    Blue-and-white Swallow Notiochelidon cyanoleuca
    Pale-footed Swallow Notiochelidon flavipes
    Black-capped Swallow Notiochelidon pileata
• Haplochelidon
  • Andean Swallow Neochelidon andecola
• Atticora
  • White-banded Swallow Atticora fasciata
    Black-collared Swallow Atticora melanoleuca
• Neochelidon
  • White-thighed Swallow Neochelidon tibialis
• Stelgidopteryx
  • Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis
    Southern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx ruficollis
• Alopochelidon
  • Tawny-headed Swallow Alopochelidon fucata
• Hirundo
  • Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
    Red-chested Swallow Hirundo lucida
    Angolan Swallow Hirundo angolensis
    Pacific Swallow Hirundo tahitica
    Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena
    White-throated Swallow Hirundo albigularis
    Ethiopian Swallow Hirundo aethiopica
    Wire-tailed Swallow Hirundo smithii
    White-throated Blue Swallow Hirundo nigrita
    Pied-winged Swallow Hirundo leucosoma
    White-tailed Swallow Hirundo megaensis
    Pearl-breasted Swallow Hirundo dimidiata
    Montane Blue Swallow Hirundo atrocaerulea
    Black-and-rufous Swallow Hirundo nigrorufa
• Ptyonoprogne
  • Crag Martin Ptyonoprogne rupestris
    Rock Martin Ptyonoprogne fuligula
    Dusky Crag Martin Ptyonoprogne concolor
• Delichon
  • House Martin Delichon urbicum
    Asian House Martin Delichon dasypus
    Nepal House Martin Delichon nipalense
• Cecropis
  • Greater Striped Swallow Cecropis cucullata
    Lesser Striped Swallow Cecropis abyssinica
    Rufous-chested Swallow Cecropis semirufa
    Mosque Swallow Cecropis senegalensis
    Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica
    Striated Swallow Cecropis striolata
    Rufous-bellied Swallow Cecropis badia
• Petrochelidon
  • Red-throated Swallow Petrochelidon rufigula
    Preuss's Swallow Petrochelidon preussi
    Red Sea Swallow Petrochelidon perdita
    South African Swallow Petrochelidon spilodera
    Forest Swallow Petrochelidon fuliginosa
    Streak-throated Swallow Petrochelidon fluvicola
    Fairy Martin Petrochelidon ariel
    Tree Martin Petrochelidon nigricans
    Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
    Cave Swallow Petrochelidon fulva
    Chestnut-collared Swallow Petrochelidon rufocollaris

References

• Turner, Angela, Chris Rose (1989). Swallows and martins: an identification guide and handbook. Houghton-Mifflin. ISBN 0-395-51174-7.

External links

• Swallow videos on the Internet Bird Collection
• paper The evolution of nest construction in swallows (Hirundinidae) is associated with the decrease of clutch size in Linzer Biologische Beiträge