Brown-bellied swallow

Notiochelidon murina

Photo by Leif Gabrielsen (iGoTerra)

Common name:
brown-bellied swallow (en); andorinha-de-barriga-castanha (pt); hirondelle à ventre brun (fr); golondrina ventriparda (es); mausschwalbe (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Hirundinidae

Range:
This species is found along the Andes from western Venezuela south to central Bolivia.

Size:
These birds are 14 cm long and weigh about 12,5 g.

Habitat:
The brown-bellied swallow is mostly found in open mountain habitats, particularly high-altitude grasslands, but also scrublands, elfin forest, Polylepis woodland, arable land and urban areas. They occur at altitudes of 1.800-4.100 m.

Diet:
They catch various flying insects on the wing, usually foraging alone, in pairs or in small groups.

Breeding:
Brown-bellied swallows breed mainly in June-October. The nest is simple mound of dry grass and moss placed in a cave, crevice in a cliff or hole in a building. the female lays 2-3 white eggs. there is no information regarding the incubation and fledging periods.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and is described as common to fairly common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

White-banded swallow

Atticora fasciata

Photo by Josef Widmer (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
white-banded swallow (en); peitoril (pt); hirondelle à ceinture blanche (fr); golondrina fajiblanca (es); weißbandschwalbe (de)

Taxonomy:Order Passeriformes
Family Hirundinidae

Range:
This species is found from southern Colombia, southern and eastern Venezuelas and the Guyanas south through eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru and northern Brazil and into northern Bolivia and as far south in Brazil as Mato Grosso and Maranhão. They are only present east of the Andes.


Size:
These birds are 14,5-16 cm long and weigh 12-16 g.

Habitat:
The white-banded swallow is mostly found in rivers and lakes bordered by rainforests, using both white water and black water rivers. They also rocky outcrops, waterfalls along large rivers and second growths. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.000 m.

Diet:
They hunt insects on the wing, taking varous flying insects such as bees, wasps, beetles, flying ants, bugs and flies.

Breeding:
White-banded swallows breed in September-March. They can breed in solitary pairs or in loose groups, and nest in burrows that are not excavated by themselves, lining the nest chamber with grass. The female lays 4-5 white eggs. There is no available information on the incubation and fledgling periods.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as common but patchily distributedthe white-banded sallow is suspected to lose 13-14% of suitable habitat within its range over the next decade based on a model of Amazonian deforestation, so it is suspected to suffer a small decline in the near future.

Blue-and-white swallow

Pygochelidon cyanoleuca

Photo by Dario Sanches (Wikipedia)

Common name:
blue-and-white swallow (en); andorinha-pequena-de-casa (pt); hirondelle bleu et blanc (fr); golondrina barranquera (es); schwarzsteißschwalbe (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Hirundinidae

Range:
This species is found throughout most of South America, being found from southern Costa Rica down to Tierra del Fuego, but mostly absent from the Amazon river basin. The southernmost populations migrate north to winter.

Size:
These birds are 11-13 cm long and weigh 9-13 g.

Habitat:
The blue-and-white swallow is mostly found in rural and urban areas, including arable land and pastures, also using temperate grasslands and degraded patches of former forests. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 3.600 m.

Diet:
They hunt insects on the wing, mostly taking flying ants, wasps and small flies, but also beetles, bugs and moths.

Breeding:
These birds are monogamous, with mates remaining together throughout the year. They can breed all year round, varying among different parts of their range. The nest is made of grass and feathers, and placed in a crevice in a cliff, burrow in a bank or road cutting, hole in a tree, or holes in walls, bridges or other artificial structures. There the female lays 3-6 glossy white eggs, which are incubated by both parents for 15 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 26-27 days after hatching, but continue to receive food from the parents for several more days.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has an extremely large breeding range and a global population estimated at 5-50 million individuals. The population is suspected to be increasing owing to urban development, as they readily adapt to human-changed habitats.

Blue saw-wing

Psalidoprocne pristoptera

Photo by Per Holmen (Per's Birding Pages)

Common name:
blue saw-wing (en); andorinha-preta (pt); hirondelle hérissée (fr); golondrina negra (es); erz-schwalbe (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Hirundinidae

Range:
This species is found in sub-Saharan Africa, from Nigeria to Ethiopia and south to Angola, Zambia, northern Zimbabwe, Mozambique and eastern South Africa.

Size:
These birds are 12-15 cm long and weigh 10-13 g.

Habitat:
The blue saw-wing is found over a wide range of habitats, including various scrublands, grasslands, moist tropical forests, along rivers and streams, second growths, plantations, rural gardens and within urban areas. They are present at altitudes of 300-2.400 m.

Diet:
They forage on the wing, taking various aerial arthropods.

Breeding:
The blue saw-wing is monogamous, nesting in solitary pairs or in loose colonies. The nest in a long burrow excavated by both sexes into a riverbank, sandbank, erosion gulley, roof of aardvark Orycteropus afer burrow, trench or road cutting, with the entrance often concealed by vegetation. At the end of the burrow they build a cup made of lichens and grass. The female lays 1-3 eggs, which are incubated by the female for 14-19 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 24-27 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as generally common to locally abundant, although not common in the lower Congo Basin, west Sudan, south Zambia and central Zimbabwe. The population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat destruction.

White-rumped swallow

Tachycineta leucorrhoa

Photo by Carlos Gussoni (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
white-rumped swallow (en); andorinha-de-sobre-branco (pt); hirondelle à diadème (fr); golondrina cejiblanca (es); weißbürzelschwalbe (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Hirundinidae

Range:
This species is found from central Brazil and Bolivia to north-eastern Argentina.

Size:
These birds are 13-14 cm long and weigh about 20 g.

Habitat:
The white-rumped swallow is found over open habitats, usually near water, namely wet grasslands, marshes, coastal lagoons, tropical moist forests, dry savannas, and also pastures, and urban areas. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.100 m.

Diet:
They are strictly insectivorous, mainly catching their prey on the wing. They are known to eat termite alates, ants, flies and bees.

Breeding:
White-rumped swallows nest in natural or man-made cavities, which they line with grasses, leaves and feathers. There the female lays 4-6 white eggs which are incubated for about 16 days. The chicks fledge around 24 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as common. The population is suspected to be increasing owing to the increasing availability of artificial nest sites.

Banded martin

Riparia cincta

Photo by Ian White (Flickr)

Common name:
banded martin (en); andorinha-das-barreiras-de-colar (pt); hirondelle à collier (fr); avión cinchado (es); weißbrauen-uferschwalbe (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Hirundinidae

Range:
This African species is found breeding from Ethiopia, through Kenya, D.R. Congo and Angola, and south to South Africa. The more southern population migrate north to winter in from Gabon and the Central African Republic to Ghana.

Size:
These birds are 15-17 cm long and weigh around 25 g.

Habitat:
The banded martin is mostly found in dry grasslands, scrubland, marshes, dry savannas and pastures. It is rarely observed over rocky shorelines or along the borders of estuaries. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 3.000 m.

Diet:
They take flying insects on the wing, by flying slowly near the ground, and often hawking prey disturbed by zebras, antelope or cattle. They are known to take beetles, moths, flies, mantid nymphs and lacewings.

Breeding:
Banded martins breed in August-March. The nest is a structure made of feathers and grass, placed in a chamber connected to a upward-sloping tunnel, which is dug into a stream bank, erosion gully or sand pit.There the female lays 2-4 glossy white eggs, which are incubated by both parents. There is no information regarding the length of the incubation period. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 21-24 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is  is described as generally uncommon, although locally common in parts of East Africa and frequent in Ethiopia. The population is suspected to be increasing owing to agricultural development.

White-throated swallow

Hirundo albigularis

Photo by Jeff Poklen (PBase)

Common name:
white-throated swallow (en); andorinha-de-garganta-branca (pt); hirondelle à gorge blanche (fr); golondrina gorgiblanca (es); weißkehlschwalbe (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Hirundinidae

Range:
This species is found breeding in across South Africa and marginally across the border into southern Namibia and southern Botswana. They migrate north to winter from Angola to Zimbabwe, Mozambique and southern D.R. Congo.

Size:
These birds are 14-17 cm long and weigh 20-25 g.

Habitat:
The white-throated swallow is generally found in open grasslands, fynbos scrublands and and savannas, especially along rivers, streams and lakes. They are also found in rural gardens, urban areas and artificial reservoirs.

Diet:
They feed exclusively on flying insects, which typically catch on the wing, but may sometimes hunt on the ground and along shorelines. They are known to eat flies, wasps, beetles and termite alates.

Breeding:
White-throated swallows are monogamous, solitary nesters. They breed in August-March and nest in a small, open cup made of mud pellets and lined with fine grass, rootlets, hair and feathers. The nest is placed on a vertical rock face or on a man-made structure such as a water tank, bridge, dam wall or building. The female lays 2-5 white eggs with brown and blue blotches, which she incubates alone for 15-18 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 18-25 days after hatching, but will continue to roost on the nest for another 2 weeks. Each pair may raise multiple broods in a season.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as generally common. The population is suspected to be increasing following a possible range expansion during the 20th century.

House martin

Delichon urbicum

(Photo from Wild About Britain)

Common name:
house martin (en); andorinha-dos-beirais (pt); hirondelle de fenêtre (fr); avión común (es); mehlschwalbe (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Hirundinidae


Range:
This species breeds throughout most of Europe and the middle and northern latitudes of Asia, and also in north-western Africa and the Middle East. They migrate south to winter in Africa south of the Sahara, in the Red Sea coast and in south-east Asia.


Size:
These birds are 12-13 cm long and have a wingspan of 26-29 cm. They weigh 16-25 g.


Habitat:
House martins are mostly found in open habitats with low vegetation, namely pastures and grasslands, urban areas, agricultural areas and rocky areas. During winter they are also found over dry savannas. They can occur from sea level up to an altitude of 4.500 m.


Diet:
They mainly catch insects on the wing, taking flies, mosquitoes, flying ants, beetles, bugs, butterflies, mayflies, aphids and spiders.


Breeding:
House martins breed in March-June. The nest is a neat closed convex cup fixed below a suitable ledge, with a narrow opening at the top. The nests are made of mud and lined with grasses and fine materials. They often breed colonially with several nests built in contact with each other. The female lays 4-5 white eggs, which are incubated by both parents for 13-19 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 19-32 days after hatching. Each pair typically raises 2 broods per season.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has an extremely large breeding range and a global population of 60-290 million individuals. The population is suspected to be decreasing, and data from 21 European countries indicates a moderate decline since 1980.

Cliff swallow

Petrochelidon pyrrhonota

(Photo from Birds)

Common name:
cliff swallow (en); andorinha-de-dorso-acanelado (pt); hirondelle à front blanc (fr); golondrina de alcantarilla (es); fahlstirnschwalbe (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Hirundinidae


Range:
This species breeds throughout most of North America, migrating south to winter in South America, from Venezuela to northern Argentina.


Size:
These birds are 13-15 cm long and have a wingspan of 28-30 cm. They weigh 19-34 g.


Habitat:
They breed in open canyons and river valleys with rocky cliffs, but forage over various habitats including farmland, pastures, wetlands, grasslands, forests and urban areas. They can be found from sea level up to an altitude of 3.200 m.


Diet:
Cliff swallows hunt various insects on the wing.


Breeding:
These birds are monogamous and form large colonies. The nest is a covered bowl made of mud pellets, with a small entrance tunnel on one side. It is lined with grass and placed on vertical walls, natural or man-made, or sometimes on barns, bridges, and other large buildings. The female lays 3-6 creamy white eggs with brown speckles, which are incubated by both parents for 14-16 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 21-23 days after hatching.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least concern)
This species has an extremely large breeding range and a global population estimated at 90 million individuals. The population has undergone a small increase over the last 4 decades.

Eurasian crag martin

Ptyonoprogne rupestris

Photo by Ahmet Karatash (Trek Nature)

Common name:

Eurasian crag martin (en); andorinha-das-rochas (pt); hirondelle de rochers (fr); avión roquero (es); felsenschwalbe (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Hirundinidae

Range:

This species is found from the Iberian Peninsula and Morocco, along the Mediterranean coasts, and through Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan all the way to northern India, the Himalayas and central China.

Size:

They are 13-15 cm long and have a wingspan of 32-35 cm. They weigh 23-24 g.

Habitat:

Eurasian crag martins prefer to breed in mountainous areas, but can be found in virtually any biome that has a plentiful insect population and offers supplies for nest building during the breeding season.

Diet:

They mostly hunt insects and other arthropods on the wing, taking flies, ants, aerial spiders and beetles, but also aquatic insects like stoneflies, caddisflies and pond skaters.

Breeding:

Eurasian crag martins in May-August. The nest is built by both sexes, consisting of an open half cup made of mud and lined with soft material such as feathers or dry grass. The nest is generally placed in a rock cliff face, crevice, or in man-made structures such as bridges and dams. There the female lays 2-5 white eggs with brownish blotches, which are incubated mainly by the female for 13–17 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 24-27 days after hatching, but continue to receive food from the parents for another 2-3 weeks. Each pair typically raises 2 broods per season.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

This species has a very large breeding range and a global population estimated at 500.000-5.000.000 individuals. The population is estimated to be increasing following a recorded northward range expansion perhaps linked to the increased use of artificial structures as nest sites.

Lesser striped swallow

Hirundo abyssinica

Photo by Jack Versloot (Wikipedia)

Common name:

lesser striped swallow (en); andorinha-estriada-pequena (pt); hirondelle striée (fr); golondrina abisinia (es); maidschwalbe (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Hirundinidae

Range:

This species is found in sub-Saharan Africa from Sierra Leone and southern Sudan south into eastern South Africa.

Size:

These birds are 15-19 cm long and weigh 17 g.

Habitat:

The lesser striped swallow is found in open grassy areas, open savanna, forest edges and clearings, as well as sparse woodland, but also over water, mangroves, and gallery forest. They are mostly found in lowland areas.

Diet:

They mainly eat arthropods, namely larval Lepidoptera, Coccinellidae and Hymenoptera, but also some fruits and seeds.

Breeding:

The lesser striped swallow is a monogamous, solitary nester. They breed in October-May, with both sexes building the nest. It consists of a bowl made of mud pellets and lined with grass and feathers. It is often placed in a man-made structure, such as a building or bridge, but it can also be positioned under a rock overhang or cavity in a branch or trunk of a tree. The same nest site used over multiple breeding seasons, each year it is either rebuilt or repaired before the eggs are laid. The female lays 2-4 eggs, which she incubates alone for 14-21 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 17-18 days after hatching. Each pair typically produces 3 broods per year.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

This species has a very large breeding range and is described as generally common. The population is suspected to be increasing owing to deforestation and the availability of artificial nest-sites.

Red-rumped swallow

Hirundo daurica

Common name:

red-rumped swallow (en); andorinha-dáurica (pt); hirondelle rousseline (fr); golondrina dáurica (es); rötelschwalbe (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Hirundinidae

Range:

This species is a common, but patchily distributed breeder in southern Europe, being found from Portugal and Spain, through France, Italy, the Balkans, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece and into Turkey. They also breed in Morocco. This species is also found breeding in Asia, through the Middle East, along Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, China and all the way to Japan. These populations winter either in sub-Saharan Africa or in southern Asia. There are resident races in Africa in a broad belt from West Africa east to Ethiopia and then south to Tanzania, and most Indian and Sri Lanka breeders are also year-round residents.

Size:

Red-rumped swallows are 16-18 cm long and have a wingspan of 33 cm. They weigh 24 g.

Habitat:

They are most often found plains and grasslands, often in hilly areas. They tend to remain near water, nesting in rocky outcrops, under bridges and in other human buildings.

Diet:

Red-rumped swallows hunt various insects in flight.

Breeding:

These birds nest in May-July, with both sexes building the nest. The nest is a closed cup with an entrance tunnel, made of mud and saliva, and placed under a ceiling, bridge, or in a rocky outcrop. There the female lays 3-6 eggs which are incubated for 11-16 days. The chicks fledge 20-21 days after hatching.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least concern)

This species has an extremely large, but patchy, breeding range. Although the global population size has not been quantified, the European population accounts for 100.000-430.000 individuals, and probably represents less than 25% of the global population. The population trend is uncertain as this species declined is areas like Greece and Albania, but these losses seem to have been compensated by increases elsewhere, notably in Spain and Portugal.

Purple martin

Progne subis

Common name:

purple martin (en); andorinha-azul (pt); hirondelle noire (fr); golondrina purpúrea (es); purpurschwalbe (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Hirundinidae

Range:

They breed throughout temperate North America, in south and south-east Canada, in the whole eastern half of the United States and along the Pacific coast from southern Canada down to Mexico. They winter in the Amazon basin, throughout Brazil, north to Colombia and the Guianas, west to Ecuador and Peru and south to Paraguay and Argentina.

Size:

This large swallow is 19-20 cm long and has a wingspan of 39-41 cm. They weigh 45-60 g.

Habitat:

During the breeding season the species is mostly found near human settlements where birdhouses are provided. They can also be found in areas with saguaro cactus and in mountain forests around beaver ponds. During the winter they are found in rainforests, forest clearings and agricultural areas and may roost in village plazas.

Diet:

The purple martin feeds almost exclusively on flying insects. They may occasionally take insects from the ground.

Breeding:

The purple martin nests in birdhouses, holes in trees and cactus, or crevices in cliffs and buildings. the nest is made of twigs, plant stems, mud and grasses. The female lays 3-6 white eggs which are incubated for 15-18 days. The female is the main incubator, with some help from the male. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge after 28-29 days. The parents will continue to feed the young even after fledging.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least concern)

With an extremely large range and a stable population estimated at 11 million, the purple martin is not threatened at present.