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MARTINs and Swallows

Order Passeriformes    Family Hirundinidae


This family is comprised of swallows and martins which are characterised by their adaptation to aerial feeding. 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.

The swallows have a cosmopolitan distribution across the world and breed on all the continents except Antarctica. It is believed that this family originated in Africa as hole-nesters; Africa still has the greatest diversity of species. A number of European and North American species are long-distance migrants; by contrast, the West and South African swallows are non-migratory.

Flycatchers also catch insects in the air. Flycatcher families: Monarchidae, Muscicapidae, Tyrannidae.


Genus Alopochelidon - 1 species

Swallow,_Tawny-headed  Alopochelidon fucata  Found: South America
The Tawny-headed Swallow has brownish-gray upperparts; biff (tawny) head, throat, upper-breast; white belly.
Image by: 1, 2) Cláudio Timm - Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil  3) Nick Athanas - Brazil 4) Dario_Sanches



Genus Atticora

Swallow,_Black-capped  Atticora pileata  also  Notiochelidon p.  Found: Mexico, Central America
The Black-capped Swallow has blackish upperparts, head; white throat, underparts.thick, forked tail.
Image by: 1) Dominic Sherony - Guatemala 2) Nick Athanas - Mexico


Swallow,_White-banded  Atticora fasciata  Found: South America
The White-banded Swallow has mainly dark blue plumage; white breast band.
Image by: 1) Charles_J_Sharp  2) Allan Hopkins  3) Barloventomagico  4) Nick Athanas - Brazil


Swallow,_White-thighed  Atticora tibialis  also  Neochelidon t.Found: Panama, northern South America
The White-thighed Swallow has dark upperparts; paler underparts; hard to see whte leg tufts.
Image by: 1) Richard Sharpe  2) Bryant_Olsen - Columbia  3) Nick Athanas - Brazil



Genus Cecropis
The Cecropis swallows build their nests out of mud. They were previously consider part of Hirundo.

Swallow,_Greater_Striped  Cecropis cucullata  also Hirundo cucullata   Found: Africa
The Greater-Striped Swallow has dark blue upperparts; pale orange rump; chestnut crown, nape; creamy white underparts with dark streaking; blackish-brown wings.
Similar to: Lesser Striped Swallow. Lesser Striped Swallow has heavy streaking on underparts than the larger Greater Striped Swallow.
Image by: 1, 2, 3) Derek Keats - South Africa   3) Bjørn_Christian_Tørrissen - South Africa


Swallow, Lesser Striped   Cecropis abyssinica  also  Hirundo abyssinica   Found: Africa
The Lesser Striped Swallow has dark blue upperparts; red rump; rufous-chestnut crown, nape; white underparts with heavy dark streaking.
Similar to: Greater Striped Swallow. Lesser Striped Swallow has heavy streaking on underparts than the larger Greater Striped Swallow.
Image by: 1) Jack Versloot - South Africa  2, 4) Dick Daniels - Kenya, South Africa  3) Charlie Westerinen - Botswana 


Swallow,_Mosque  Cecropis senegalensis  Found: Africa
The Mosque Swallow has mainly blue upperparts with reddish collar and rump; whitish throat, upper-breast; reddish lower-breast, belly.
Image by: 1) Richard Sharpe  2) Dick Daniels - specimen in Nairobi National Museum, Kenya  3) Steve_Garvie


Swallow,_Red-breasted  also  Rufous-chested Swallow  Cecropis semirufa  Found: Equatorial Africa
The Red-breasted Swallow has dark blue upperparts; reddish face, collar, rump, underparts; white under-wings; black flight feathers.
Similar to: Red-rumped Swallow. Red-breasted Swallow is much larger than Red-rumped Swallow.
Image by: 1) Alan_Manson  2) Derek Keats    3) Nigel_Voaden- DR Congo


Swallow,_Red-rumped Cecropis daurica   Found: Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia
The Red-rumped has a pale or reddish rump, face, neck collar; black under-tail. See also Sri Lanka Swallow.
Similar to: Red-breasted Swallow. Red-breasted Swallow is much larger than Red-rumped Swallow.
Image by: 1, 2) Agustin_Povedan  3) Dick Daniels - Tanzania


Swallow, Rufous-bellied  Cecropis badia  Found: southeast Asia, Malaysia
The Rufous-bellied Swallow is sometimes considered a subspecies of the Stirated Sparrow.
Image by: 1) blueeyes (Dan)


Swallow,_Sri_Lanka  also  Ceylon Swallow  Cecropis hyperythra  Found: Sri Lanka
The Sri Lanka Swallow was considered a subspecies of the Red-rumped Swallow. It has blue upperparts; deep chestnut underparts.
Image by: 1) Richard Stead  2) David Cook


Swallow,_Striated  Cecropis striolata  Found: southeast Asia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines
The Striated Swallow has dark blue upperparts; reddish collar (may be missing); streaked chestnut rump; white underparts with heavy streaking.
Image by: 1) Lip Kee - Central Java, Indonesia  2) Hank



Genus Cheramoeca - 1 species

Swallow,_White-backed  Cheramoeca leucosterna  Found: Australia
The White-backed Swallow has a white back, throat, breast; gray crown; dark gray eye-stripe.
Image by: 1) Haller1962  2, 3) Brian_McCauley



Genus Delichon

Martin,_Asian House  Delichon dasypus  Found: Asia
The Asian House Martin has blue-black upperparts; white rump, throat; pale gray underparts.
Simiilar to: Nepal House Martin. Asian House Martin has white throat; Nepal House Martin has black throat.
Image by: 1) Cleany Lee   2,  3) Stella C Eagle


Martin,_House also Common House Martin  Delichon urbica also Delichon urbicum   Found: Europe, Asia, Africa
House Martin has blue upperparts, head; white rump, underparts.
Similar to: Alpine Swift. Barn Swallow has dark blue upperparts; Alpine Swift has brown upperparts.
Similar to: Barn Swallow. House Martin has whiter underparts than Barn Swallow.
Image by: 1) Dick Daniels - Tanzania   2) Dick - South Africa  3)  Dick - Scotland 4) Cristiano Crolle - Maggiore Lake, Italy  Andreas_Trepte - Germany



Martin,_Nepal House  Delichon nipalense  Found: Asia
The Nepal House Martin has blue upperparts, head; white rump, underparts; black throat, tail.
Similar to: Asian House Martin. Asian House Martin has white throat; Nepal House Martin has black throat.
Image by: 1) chia_alfred



Genus Hirundo
These are the typical swallows. Many of this group have blue backs, red on the face and sometimes the rump or nape, and whitish or rufous underparts. All of the species are found in the Old World, although one, the Barn Swallow, is cosmopolitan, also occurring in the Americas.

Swallow,_Angola  Hirundo angolensis  Found: Africa
The Angola Swallow has dark blue upperparts, narrow breast-band; rufous throat; dirty brown underparts.
Image by: 1) Haller1962  2) Joseph Smit  3) Tom Tarrant 


Swallow, Barn Hirundo rustica   Found: The Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia
Barn Swallow has: dark blue upperparts; off-white to orange-brown underparts; deeply forked tail.
Similar to: Alpine Swift. Barn Swallow has dark blue upperparts; Alpine Swift has brown upperparts.
Similar to: Ethiopian Swallow. Barn Swallow has longer tail than Ethiopian Swallow
Similar to: House Martin. House Martin has whiter underparts than Barn Swallow.
Similar to: Red-chested Swallow. Red-chested Swallow is slightly smaller than Barn Swallow and has a narrow blue breast-band
Image by: 1) MPF  2, 3) Dick Daniels - New Hampshire  5) Dick Daniels - North Carolina  6, 7) Dick - Nepal  9) Cristiano Crolle - Monfrague, Spain  9) Jose Mochoge - Kenya  10) Ted van den Bergh
1, 2) Juvenile  3, 4, 5) Female  




Swallow,_Black-and-Rufous  Hirundo nigrorufa  Found: Angola, Congo, Zambia
The Black-and-Rufous Swallow has bluish-black upperparts; rufous underparts.
Image by: 1) Richard Sharpe  2) Maans_Booysen - Angola  3) p_khoo


Swallow,_Blue  Hirundo atrocaerulea  Found: Africa
The Blue Swallow mainly steel-blue plumage; white on flanks and rumps usually not visible; long tail - especially in males.
Similar to: Black Saw-wing. Blue Swallow is bluer than Black Saw-wing.
Image by: 1) Richard Sharpe 2) p_khoo  3) Tom


Swallow, Ethiopian  Hirundo aethiopica  Found: Africa
The Ethiopian Swallow has dark blue upperparts, partial collar; chestnut forehead; throat buff or white depending on subspcies; white lower-breast; belly.
Similar to: Barn Swallow. Barn Swallow has longer tail than Ethiopian Swallow
Image by: 1) Haller1962  2) Richard Sharpe  3) Sergey_Yeliseev 4) Aaron Maizlish - Ghana 


Swallow, Hill  Hirundo domicola  Found: southern India, Sri Lanka
The Hill Swallow has blue back; brownish wings, tail; red face, throat; dusky underparts.
Image by: 1) Dharani_Prakash  2) Suranjan Fernando 


Swallow,_Pacific  Hirundo tahitica  Found: Asia
The Pacific Swallow has metallic blue-black upperparts; rusty forehead, throat, upper-breast; off white rest of underparts.
Similar to: Welcome Swallow. Pacific Swallow has a shorter and less forked tail than Welcome Swallow.
Image by: 1) JJ Harrison  2) Johnny Wee  3) Tu7uh - Malaysia


Swallow,_Pearl-breasted  Hirundo dimidiata  Found: Africa
The Pearl-breasted Swallow has gloss dark blue upperparts; blackish-blue wings, forked tail; grayish-white underparts.
Image by: 1) Haller1962  2, 3) Craig Adam - South Africa  4) Ron_Knight


Swallow, Pied-wing  Hirundo leucosoma  Found: Africa
Image by: 1) Haller1962  2) Steve Garvie - Gambia  3) Charles_J_Sharp - Gambia  4)  Matti Suopajärvi - Gambia


Swallow, Red-chested  Hirundo lucida  Found: Africa
The Red-chested Swallow has dark blue upperparts; red throat, upper-breast; narrow blue breast-band; white lower-breast belly.
Similar to: Barn Swallow. Red-chested Swallow is slightly smaller than Barn Swallow and has a narrow blue breast-band.
Image by: 1) Haller1962  2) Richard Sharpe 3) Steve Garvie - The Gambia 4) Arthur de Wolf - Gambia


Swallow, Welcome  Hirundo neoxena  Found: Australia, New Zealand
The Welcome Swallow has metallic blue-black upperparts; rusty forehead, throat, upper-breast; off white rest of underparts.
Similar to: Pacific Swallow. Pacific Swallow has a shorter and less forked tail than Welcome Swallow.
Image by: 1, 2, 3) JJ Harrison - Tasmania, Australia    4) Laurie_Boyle


Swallow,_White-bibbed  also  White-throated Blue Swallow  Hirundo nigrita  Found: Africa
The White-bibbed Swallow has mainly blue plumage with a white throat . Wings are longer than its short tail.
Image by: 1) Haller1962  2) Richard Sharpe 3) Nik_Borrow - Ghana  4) Gael Van de weghe 


Swallow, White-tailed Hirundo megaensis Found: Ethiopia
The male White-tailed Swallow has glossy dark blue upperparts; white underparts. Female has less gloss upperparts.
Image by: Paul Donald


Swallow,_White-throated  Hirundo albigularis  Found: southern Africa
The White-throated Swallow has dark blue upperparts, breast band; chestnut forehead; white throat; grayish white underparts. Juvenile has brown crown.
Image by: 1) Arno Meintjes  2) Derek Keats - South Africa  3) Mike Cilliers - South Africa  4) Alan_Manson
1) Juvenile


Swallow, Wire-tailed  Hirundo smithii  Found: Asia, Africa
The Wire-tailed Swallow has bright blue upperparts; chestnut cap; white underparts.
Image by:  1) Frans_Vandewalle   2, 3) Arno Meintjes  4) Lip Kee Yap 



Genus Orochelidon

Swallow, Andean   Orochelidon andecola  also Haplochelidon a.  Found: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Peru
The Andean Swallow has glossy dark blue upperparts;grayish brown underparts, rump.
Image by: 1) Charles Hesse   2) Pablo Contreras - Chile


Swallow,_Brown-bellied  Orochelidon murina  also  Notiochelidon m.  Found: South America
The Brown-bellied Swallow has very dark blue-green upperparts; dark brown wings, tail; brownish-gray underparts.
Image by: 1) Haller1962  2) Columbia Travel  2, 3, 4) Dick Daniels - Otavalo, Ecuador 5) Nick Athanas - Columbia



Swallow, Pale-footed  Orochelidon flavipes   also  Notiochelidon f.Found: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
The Pale-footed Swallow has glossy dark blue upperparts; cinnamon throat; dark blue undertail; white underparts; blackish flanks.
Image by: 1) Andres Caballos



Genus Petrochelidon
Cliff nesting swallows.

Martin,_Fairy  Petrochelidon ariel  Found: Australia
The Fairy Martin has dark blue upperparts; rufous crown, nape; white underpart,; square tail.
Image by:1) Aviceda  2) Oystercatcher  3) Jim Bendon


Martin,_Streak-throated also Streak-throated Martin  Petrochelidon fluvicola  Found: south Asia
Image by: 1, 2) JM Garg - Asia


Martin,_Tree  Petrochelidon nigricans  Found: Australasia
The Tree Martin iridescent back, cown; brown wings, tail; rufous forehead; whitish rump; white underparts; shallowly forked tail.
Image by: 1) Laurie_Boyle  2) Tony Morris  3) David Cook 


Swallow, Cave   Petrochelidon fulva   Found: North America (southern USA, Mexico), Caribbean
Similar to: Cliff Sparrow. Cave Swallow forehead is never white, usually pale, but sometimes dark. The forehead patch is bigger than a Cliff Swallow's. Square tail.
Image by:  1) Andy Jones - Ohio  2, 3) Amy McAndrews - Mexico 


Swallow,_Chestnut-collared  Petrochelidon rufocollaris  Found: Ecuador, Peru
Image by: 1) John Gerrard Keulemans  2) Dick Daniels - Otavalo, Ecuador  3) Francesco Veronesi - Ecuador


Swallow, Cliff  also  American Cliff Swallow  Petrochelidon pyrrhonota  Found: The Americas
Similar to: Cave Sparrow. Northern Cliff Swallow has white forehead, Mexian has dark forehead. The forehead patch is smaller than a Cave Swallow's. All have dark throat. Square tail.
Image by: 1) Maggie Smith   2) Elaine R Wilson - Oregon    3) Don DeBold - California   4) Ingrid Taylar - Cayucos, California  5) New Jersey Birds - New Jersey  6) DoriBot



Swallow,_Forest   Petrochelidon fuliginosa  Found: Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Nigeria
Image by: 1) Roger_Fotso - Cameroon


Swallow, Preuss's Cliff  Petrochelidon preussi  Found: Africa
Image by: 1) Ron Knight - Cameroon  2) Francesco Veronesi


Swallow,_Red-throated_Cliff also Red-throated Swallow  Petrochelidon rufigula  Found: Africa
Image by: 1) Haller1962  2) Richard Sharpe 


Swallow,_South_African_Cliff  Petrochelidon spilodera  Found: Africa
Image by: 1)) Joseph Wolf     2, 3) Derek_Keats  South Africa   4) Alan Manson - South Africa




Genus Phedina

Martin,_Brazza's  Phedina brazzae  Found: Angola, the Congos
The Brazza's Martin has dark gray-brown upperparts;white-underparts with heavy dark streaking.
Image by: 1) Richard Sharpe


Martin,_Mascarene   Phedina borbonica    Found: Madagascar
The Mascarene Martin has dark gray-brown upperparts; lighter gray-brown breast; even lighter belly.
Image by: 1) Ross Tsai  2) Dick Daniels - Ranomafana, Madagascar  3, 4) Jerry_Oldenettel



Genus Progne
These swallow like birds are found in the Americas.

Martin,_Brown-chested  Progne tapera  Found: South America
The Brown-chested Martin has brown upperparts, upper-breast, vertical patch on belly; white rest of underparts .
Image by: 1) Dario Niz   2, 3) Claudio Timm Brazil  4) Nick Athanas - Brazil


Martin,_Caribbean  also  White-bellied Martin   Progne dominicensis Found: from Jamaica east to Tobago
The male Caribbean Martin has glossy blue-black upperparts, upper-breast, flanks; white  lower-breast, belly; forked tail. Female duller than male; gray-brown upper-breast, flanks; white lower-breast, belly.
Image by: 1) Richard Sharpe   2) Mike's Birds - Tobago  3) Carlos De Soto Moli  4) David Fletcher
1) Pair  2) Female  3, 4, 5) Male


Martin,_Cuban  Progne cryptoleuca  Found: Cuba
The male Cuban Martin has glossy blue-black upperparts; blue breast, upper-belly; white under-belly. Female duller than male; gray-brown upper-breast; white lower-breast, belly.
Image by: 1, 2) Karl-Heinz Dohlich
1) Female  2) Male


Martin,_Galapagos  Progne modesta  Found: The Galapagos Islands of Ecuador
The male Galapagos has dark blue plumage; female duller blue upperparts, dark brown underparts.
Image by: 1) John Gould  2) Jose Lama


Martin,_Gray-breasted  Progne chalybea  Found: Central and South America
The male Gray-breasted Martin has bluish-black upperparts; gray-brown throat, upper-breast; white lower-breast; belly. Female similar to male but duller upperparts.
Image by: 1, 2) Cláudio Timm in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil  3, 4) Dick Daniels - Boquette, Panama  5) Len Blumin
2) Female  3, 4, 5) Male



Martin,_Peruvian   Progne murphyi   Found: Chile, Peru
The male Peruvian Martin has glossy blue upperparts. Female has gray plumage with blue across center of back and onto wings.
Image by: 1) Tor Egil Hogsas  2) Valverde
1) Feale 2) Male


Martin,_Purple Progne subis   Found: The Americas
The male Purple Martin has glossy bluish-black plumage with a blue sheen; deeply notched tail. Female has dark blue upperparts; pale nape; off-white underparts.
Similar to: Bank Swallow, Northern Rough-winged Swallow.  Female Purple Martin simlar to both sex of Bank Swallow and Northern Rough-winged Swallow. Female Purple Martin has darker back and darker breast.
Similar to: Southern Martin. Purple Martins are difficult to distinuish from Southern Martins. If found in Argentina, high probability it is a Southern Martin. If found in North America, it is a Purple Martin.
Image by:  1) OakleyOriginals - Oaklahoma   2, 5, 7, 8) Dick Daniels - North Carolina  3) Barloventomagico - Venezuela  4, 6) Dick - South Carolina
1, 2) Juvenile  3, 4, 5) Female  6, 7, 8) Male


Martin,_Sinaloa  Progne sinaloae  Found: Guatemala, Mexico
The Male Sinaloa Martin has dark blue upperparts, head, throat; dark blue forked tail; white underparts. It breeds in Mexico; may migrate to South America.
Image by: 1) Nigel Voaden - Mexico


Martin,_Southern  Progne elegans  Found: Panama, South America
The male Southern Martin has glossy bluish-black plumage with a blue sheen; deeply notched tail. Female blackish upperparts; gray underparts with scaly appearance.
Similar to: Purple Martin. Purple Martins are difficult to distinuish from Southern Martins. If found in Argentina, high probability it is a Southern Martin. If found in North America, it is a Purple Martin.
Image by: 1) Claudio Timm - Argentina  2) Arthur Chapman - Argentina  3) Gustavo Fernando Durán
1) Female



Genus Psalidoprocne

Saw-wing,_Black  also  Black Rough-winged Swallow  Psalidoprocne pristoptera  Found: Afica
The Black Saw-wing has mainly glossy blue-black plumage; forked tail. black or white under-wing depending on subspecies. Female has shorter outer tail feathers and less obvious wing serrations.
Similar to: Blue Swallow. Blue Swallow is bluer than Black Saw-wing.
Image by: 1) Haller1962    2) Richard Sharpe  3) Martin Goodey  4) Alan_Manson  5) Dave Curtis - Kenya



Saw-wing,_Fanti  Psalidoprocne obscura  Found: Africa
The Fanti Saw-wing has glossy dark green plumage; long deeply forked tail.
Image by: 1) Haller1962  2) Steve Garvie- The Gambia  3) Matti_Suopajärvi


Saw-wing, Mountain  Psalidoprocne fuliginosa  Found: Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria
Image by: 1) Richard Sharpe  2) Ron Knight - Cameroon


Saw-wing,_Square-tailed  Psalidoprocne nitens  Found: Africa
Image by: 1) Haller1962  2) Nik_Borrow - Sierra Leone


Saw-wing,_White-headed  Psalidoprocne albiceps  Found: Africa
Image by: 1) Haller1962  2) Richard Sharpe  3) Nik_Borrow  2) Lee Hunter



Genus Pseudhirundo - 1 species

Swallow,_Gray-rumped  Pseudhirundo griseopyga  Found: Africa
Image by: 1) Haller1962  2) Richard Sharpe  3) Nydia Femandes - Mozambique  4) Heather_and_Mike - Zambia 



Genus Pseudochelidon

Martin,_African River  Pseudochelidon eurystomina  Found: Africa
The African River Martin has mainly black upperparts with a blue-green gloss to the head; purple-black underparts; red eyes; orange-red bill; black square tail.
Image by: 1) John Gould


Martin,_White-eyed River  Pseudochelidon sirintarae  Found: southeast Asia
The White-eyed River Martin has mainly black upperparts; white band at tail base; white eye. It may be extinct.
Image by: 1) Shyamai  2) H E McClure



Genus Ptyonoprogne
These are small swallows with brown upperparts, paler underparts without a breast band, and a square tail with white patches. They can be distinguished from each other on size, the color shade of the upperparts and underparts, and minor plumage details like throat color.

Martin,_Dusty_Crag  Ptyonoprogne concolor  Found: south Asia
The Dusty Martin has brown upperparts; paler underparts.
Similar to: Eurasian Crag Martin. Eurasian Crag Martin is larger than Dusty Craig Martin and has more prominent white wing patches.
Image by: 1) Prasad Basavaraj  2) Anand Patre  3) Annishaikh1990


Martin,_Eurasian Crag  Ptyonoprogne rupestris  Found: southern Europe, northwestern Africa, southern Asia
The Eurasian Martin has brown upperparts; paler underparts; short square tail with distinctive white streaks.
Similar to: Dusty Crag Martin. Eurasian Crag Martin is larger than Dusty Craig Martin and has more prominent white wing patches.
Similar to: Rock Martin. Eurasian Crag Martin is larger than Rock Martin and has more prominent white wing patches.
Image by: 1) Martien Brand  2, 3, 4) JV Verde - Portugal  5) Victor



Martin,_Rock Ptyonoprogne fuligula   Found: Africa
The Rock Martin has mainly brown plumage; paler on the underparts.
Similar to: Eurasian Crag Martin. Eurasian Crag Martin is larger than Rock Martin and has more prominent white wing patches.
Image by:  1) Haller1962  2, 3) Ian White - Botswana  4) Bernard_Dupont - South Africa  5) Nik_Borrow - Uganda  6)  Joseph Mochoge - Kenya




Genus Pygochelidon

Swallow, Black-collared  Atticora melanoleuca  also  Pygochelidon melanoleuca  Found: South America
The Black-collared Swallow has blackish upperparts, head, breast-band, under-tail; white rest of plumage.
Image by: 1) Richard Sharpe  2) Amy McAndrews - Brazil


Swallow, Blue-and-white  Pygochelidon cyanoleuca . Found: South America
The Blue-and-white Martin has dark blue upperparts; white underparts.
Image by: 1, 2) Cláudio Timm - Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil  3) Dick Daniels - Ecuador  4) Dick - Machu Piccu, Peru   5) Cristiano Crolle - River Tigre Delta, Argentina
1) Juvenile


Genus Riparia
These are small or medium-sized swallows, ranging from 11–17 cm in length. They are brown above and mainly white below, and all have a dark breast band. They are closely associated with water. They nest in tunnels usually excavated by the birds themselves in a natural sand bank or earth mound. They lay white eggs, which are incubated by both parents, in a nest of straw, grass, and feathers in a chamber at the end of the burrow.

Martin,_Banded  Riparia cincta  Found: Africa
The Banded Martin has brown upperparts; some white on forehead; white underparts with brown breast-band.
Image by: 1) Dick Daniels - specimen in Nairobi National Museum, Kenya  2) Arno Meintjes  3) Ian White - South Africa  4) Francesco_Veronesi - South Africa


Martin,_Brown-throated Sand also Brown-throated Martin  Riparia paludicola  Found: Africa, Madagascar
The  Brown-thoated Martin has brown upperparts, throat, legs; white or pale brown underparts; black bill. It and Gray-throated Martins were once consider part of the same species: Plain Martin - Riparia paludicola. The Gray-throated Martin is not found in Africa.
Similar to: Sand Martin. Brown-throated Martin lacks the brown breast-band of the Sand Martin.
Image by:   1) KC Hung   2) Sergy Yeliseev - Kenya   3) Joseph Mochoge - Gilgil, Kenya    4) Craig Adams - South Africa    5, 6) Dick Daniels - the De Hoop Nature Reserve, South Africa



Martin,_Congo  Riparia congica  Found: Congo
The Congo Martin has light brown upperparts; darker crown; pale brown breast; white belly; black bill; brown legs.
Image by: 1) Bruno Portier


Martin,_Gray-throated  Riparia chinensis  Found: Asia, northern Philippines
The  Gray-thoated Martin has brown upperparts, legs; white or pale brown underparts; black bill. It and Brown-throated Martins were once consider part of the same species: Plain Martin - Riparia paludicola. The Brown-throated Martin is not found in Asia.
Similar to: Sand Martin. Gray-throated Martin lacks the brown breast-band of the Sand Martin.
Image by: 1) Thomas Hardwicke  2) Mukesh Jan  3) Global Bird Watchers


Swallow, Bank also Martin,_Sand  Riparia riparia  Found: The Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa 
The Sand Martin has brown upperparts, narrow breast band center breast patch, legs; black bill; white throat; belly. The Pale Sand Martin is the subspecies diluta of northern India and southeastern China is sometimes split as a separate species Riparia diluta. It has paler grey-brown upperparts and a less distinct breast band. It winters in Pakistan and southern India.
Similar to: Brown-throated Martin. Brown-throated Martin lacks the brown breast-band of the Sand Martin.
Similar to: Gray-throated Martin. Gary-throated Martin lacks the brown breast-band of the Sand Martin.
Similar to: Northern Rough-winged Swallow. The Bank Swallow is brown above, white below with a narrow brown band on the breast; the bill is black, the legs brown. It has a quick, jerky flight.
Similar to: Purple Martin,_  Female Purple Martin simlar to both sex of Bank Swallow. Female Purple Martin has darker back and darker breast.
Image by: 1) Alan Vernon   2) Cláudio Timm - Brazil  3) Michael Sveikutis  4) James Chavez - California  5) Francesco Veronesi - Kazakistan  6) Nigel Wedge - Scotland
5) Pale Sand Martin




Genus Stelgidopteryx

Swallow, Northern Rough-winged  Stelgidopteryx serripennis  Found: North America
Similar to: Bank Swallow. The Northern Rough-winged Swallow is brown on top with light underparts and a forked tail. Unlike the Bank Swallow, it does not have a brown band on the breast.
Similar to: Purple Martin.  Female Purple Martin simlar to both sex of Northern Rough-winged Swallow. Female Purple Martin has darker back and darker breast.
Image by: 1, 2, 3) Alan D Wilson - Port Coquitlam, British Columbia  4) Mdf - Ontario, Canada  5,6) Dori - Wisconson



Swallow,_Southern_Rough-winged  Stelgidopteryx ruficollis  Found: Central and South America
The Southern Rough-winged Swallow has brown upperparts; lighter head, throat; white rump; pale yellowish belly.
Image by: 1, 2) Cláudio Timm - Brazil  3 Julian_Londono - Columbia  4) Charles J Sharp
1) Juvenile



Genus Tachycineta
These are slender swallows with forked tails. Most species have a metallic green back, green or blue head, and metallic blue or unglossed brown wings. All have pure white underparts, and four species have a white rump. They tend to breed in cavities near bodies of water.

Swallow, Bahama Tachycineta cyaneoviridis   Found: Florida, Bahamas
Similar to: Violet-green Swallow. Bahama Swallow does not have white above the eye, Violet-green Swallow does.
Image by: Craig Nash


Swallow,_Chilean  Tachycineta leucopyga also Tachycineta meyeni  Found: South America
The Chilean Swallow has blue upperparts, white underparts, rump.
Image by: 1) Richard Sharpe  2, 3) Cláudio Timm - Brazil  4) Francesco_Veronesi


Swallow,_Golden  Tachycineta euchrysea  Found: Hispaniola
The Golden Swallow has blue-green upper-tail, fore-head; darker wings; mostly white underparts. The nominate subspecies is extinct. That subspecies had more of a bronze color.
Image by: 1) Cproctor707 - Dominican Republic  2) Mitch Walters


Swallow,_Mangrove  Tachycineta albilinea  Found: Central America
The Mangrove Swallow has greenish blue upperparts; white underparts, rump.
Image by: 1) - Costa Rica   2) Jerry Oldenettel - Costa Rica  3) Hans Hillewaert - Costa Rica  4) llsproat - Costa Rica


Swallow, Tree Tachycineta bicolor   Found: North America
The adult Tree Swallow has iridescent blue-green upperparts, white underparts, and a very slightly forked tail. The female usually has duller colours than the male, often more greenish than the more bluish male.
Image by: 1) Alan Vernon   2) Maggie Smith  3, 8) Dick Daniels - New Hampshire   4) John Benson - Wisconsin    5) Len Blumin - California  6, 7) Dick - Assateague Island, Virginia  9) Dick
1) Juvenile  2, 3) Female  4 - 7) Male




Swallow, Tumbes  Tachycineta stolzmanni  Found: Ecuador, Peru
Image by: 1) Charles Hesse


Swallow, Violet-green Tachycineta thalassina   Found: The Americas
Adults are velvet green on their upperparts with white underparts and a forked tail; they have white patches on the side of the rump. The head is usually more coppery or brownish than the back, and the rump is a glossy violet color. In adult males, the white throat area extends behind and above the eyes; adult females are duller. Immature birds are brown on the upperparts.
Image by:  1) Len Blumin - California  2) Alan Vernon   3) Wolfgang Wander   4) Walter Siegmund   5) Elaine R Wilson - British Columbia  6) Dick Daniels - Arizona   7) Dick - Washington
1) Juvenile  2) Female 3 - 7) Male



Swallow,_White-rumped  Tachycineta leucorrhoa  Found: South America
The White-rumped Swallow has greenish blue upperparts; white underparts, rump; white line in front of eye.
Image by: 1, 3) Cláudio Timm - Brazil   2) Valentina Ferretti - Argentina  4) Cristiano Crolle - Argentina  5, 6) Nick Athanas - Brazil
3) Juveniles



Swallow,_White-winged  Tachycineta albiventer  Found: South America
The White-winged Swallow has bluish-green upperparts; white underparts, wings.
Image by:  1)  Cláudio Timm - the Amazon, Brazil   2, 3)  Dominic Sherony  4) Tom Friedel (BirdPhotos.com) - Venezuela  5) Nick Athanas - Ecuador







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