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Sand Martin

Sand Martin

Flying in Scotland

Conservation status

Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Order: Passeriformes

Family: Hirundinidae

Genus: Riparia

Species: R. riparia

Binomial name

Riparia riparia

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Subspecies

R. r. dolgushini

R. r. eilata

R. r. ijimae

R. r. innominata

R. r. kolymensis

R. r. riparia

R. r. shelleyi

R. r. taczanowskii

Synonyms

Hirundo ripariaLinnaeus, 1758Riparia diluta(but see text)

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Synonym_%28taxonomy%29http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Subspecieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Carl_Linnaeushttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Binomial_nomenclaturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ripariahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Swallowhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Passerinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Birdhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chordatehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Animalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Biological_classificationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=IUCN_Red_Listhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Least_Concernhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3AStatus_iucn3.1_LC.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Conservation_statushttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Riparia_riparia_-Markinch%2C_Fife%2C_Scotland_-flying-8-4c.jpg

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The Sand Martin (Riparia riparia) is a migratory passerine bird in the swallow family. It has a wide range in

summer, embracing practically the whole of Europe and the Mediterranean countries, part of northern Asia and also

North America. It winters in eastern and southern Africa, South America and South Asia. It is known as Bank

Swallow in North America, and as Collared Sand Martin in South Asia, and sometimes as European Sand

Martin.

Description, systematics, and taxonomy

Showing dark breast band

Adult at nest site, Dziwnwek (Poland)

The 12 cm long Sand Martin is brown above, white below with a

narrow brown band on the breast; the bill is black, the legs brown. The

young have rufous tips to the coverts and margins to the secondaries.

Its brown back, white throat, small size and quick jerky flight separate

it at once from similar swallows, such as the House Martin (Delichon

urbicum), the Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) or other

species ofRiparia. Only the Banded Martin (R. cincta) of sub-Saharan

Africa is similar, but the Sand Martin only occurs there in winter.The Pale 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.[1]

The Sand Martin's twittering song is continuous when the birds are on

the wing, and becomes a conversational undertone after they have

settled in the roost. The harsh alarm is heard when a passing falcon,

crow or other suspected predator requires combined action to drive it

away.

This species was first described by Linnaeus in his Systema naturae in

1758, and originally namedHirundo riparia; the description consisted

of the simple H[irundo] cinerea, gula abdomineque albis"an

ash-grey swallow, with white throat and belly"and the type locality was simply given as "Europa". The specific

name means "of the riverbank"; it is derived from the Latin ripa "riverbank".[2]

Ecology

Active breeding colony

Linnaeus already remarked on this species' breeding habits:Habitat in

Europae collibus arenosis abruptis, foramine serpentino

"it lives inEurope, in winding holes in sheer sandy hills". It is generally found

near larger bodies of water, such as rivers, lakes or even the ocean,

throughout the year.[3]

The Sand Martin appears on its breeding grounds as the first of its

family, starting towards the end of March, just in advance of the Barn

Swallow. In northern Ohio, they arrive in numbers by mid-April, about

10 days earlier than they did 100 years ago.[4] At first, they flit over the

larger bodies of water alone, in search of early flies. Later parties

accompany other swallow species, but for a time, varying according to

weather, the birds remain at these large waters and do not visit their nesting haunts. The Sand Martin departs early, at

any rate from its more northerly haunts. In August, the gatherings at the nightly roost increase enormously, though

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ohiohttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Barn_Swallowhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Barn_Swallowhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Oceanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Riverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3ASand-Martin.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Latinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Specific_name_%28zoology%29http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Specific_name_%28zoology%29http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Type_locality_%28biology%29http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Carl_Linnaeushttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Predationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Crowhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Falconhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bird_songhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pakistanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Subspecieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sub-Saharan_Africahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sub-Saharan_Africahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Banded_Martinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ripariahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cliff_Swallowhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Common_House_Martinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Covertshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rufoushttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3ARiparia_Riparia-2006-Ejdzej-1.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Polandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dziwn%C3%B3wekhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3ADigesvale.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=South_Asiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=South_Americahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Africahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=North_Americahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mediterranean_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Europehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Range_%28biology%29http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Swallowhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Birdhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Passerinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bird_migration

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the advent and departure of passage birds causes great irregularity in numbers. They are essentially gone from their

breeding range by the end of September.

Nest with egg

The food consists of small insects, mostly gnats and other flies whose

early stages are aquatic.

The Sand Martin is sociable in its nesting habits; from a dozen to many

hundred pairs will nest close together, according to available space.The nests are at the end of tunnels of from a few inches to three or four

feet in length, bored in sand or gravel. The actual nest is a litter of

straw and feathers in a chamber at the end of the burrow; it soon

becomes a hotbed of parasites. Four or five white eggs are laid about

mid-late May, and a second brood is usual in all but the most

northernly breeding sites.

This is not a rare bird, and it is classified as a species of Least Concern by the IUCN. [5] It does have some local

protections, as certain populations have declined or face threats from habitat loss and fragmentation. They are

considered threatened in California, where populations exist in the Sacramento Valley [6] and at two coastal sites,

Ano Nuevo and Fort Funston[7]

Footnotes

[1] Turner & Rose (1989)

[2][2] Linnaeus (1758)

[3] Linnaeus (1758), Accordi & Barcellos (2006)

[4][4] Henninger (1906), OOS (2004)

[5][5] BLI (2008)

[6] Garrison, B. A. 1998. Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia). In The Riparian Bird Conservation Plan: a strategy for reversing the decline of

riparian-associated birds in California. California Partners in Flight. http://www.prbo. org/calpif/htmldocs/riparian_v-2. html

[7] http:/ /www.parksconservancy. org/about/newsletters/park-e-ventures/2012/04-ggro. html

References

Linnaeus, Carl (1758): 101.4.Hirundo riparia. In: Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes,

ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis (10th ed., vol. 1): 192. Laurentius

Salvius, Holmius (= Stockholm). PDF fulltext (http://gdz-srv1.sub.uni-goettingen.de:8080/contentserver/

contentserver?command=docconvert&docid=D265100&pdf.x=19&pdf.y=8)

Turner, Angela & Rose, Chris (1989): Swallows and martins: an identification guide and handbook. Houghton

Mifflin. ISBN 0-395-51174-7

External links

Sand Martin - Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds (http://sabap2.adu.org.za/docs/sabap1/

532.pdf).

Heneberg, P. Soil particle composition affects the physical characteristics of Sand Martin Riparia riparia holes.

Ibis 145(3)/2003:392-399. (http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1474-919X.2003.00176.

x)

Heneberg, P. Size of sand grains as a significant factor affecting the nesting of bank swallows (Riparia

riparia).Soil particle composition affects the physical characteristics of Sand Martin Riparia riparia holes.

Biologia 56(2)/2001:205-210. (http://www.zoo.sav.sk/b56-2.htm#11)

Petr Heneberg, Ji rek, Vlasta korpkov, Karel imeek, Ji afrnek, Daniel Maznek, Zdenk Hublek,Eva Jebkov. Overview of sand martin (Riparia riparia) localities in the Czech Republic. Linzer biologische

http://www.zoo.sav.sk/b56-2.htm#11http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1474-919X.2003.00176.xhttp://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1474-919X.2003.00176.xhttp://sabap2.adu.org.za/docs/sabap1/532.pdfhttp://sabap2.adu.org.za/docs/sabap1/532.pdfhttp://gdz-srv1.sub.uni-goettingen.de:8080/contentserver/contentserver?command=docconvert&docid=D265100&pdf.x=19&pdf.y=8http://gdz-srv1.sub.uni-goettingen.de:8080/contentserver/contentserver?command=docconvert&docid=D265100&pdf.x=19&pdf.y=8http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Carl_Linnaeushttp://www.parksconservancy.org/about/newsletters/park-e-ventures/2012/04-ggro.htmlhttp://www.prbo.org/calpif/htmldocs/riparian_v-2.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fort_Funstonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ano_Nuevo_State_Parkhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sacramento_Valleyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=International_Union_for_Conservation_of_Naturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Least_Concernhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bird_egghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gravelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bird_nesthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bird_colonyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aquatic_animalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gnathttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3ARiparia_riparia-nest.jpg

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Sand Martin 4

Beitrge 38(2)/2006:1413-1447. (http://www.biologiezentrum.at/biophp/arti_det.php?litnr=23939&

artinr=43969)

Ageing and sexing (PDF; 1.4 MB) by Javier Blasco-Zumeta & Gerd-Michael Heinze (http://www.ibercajalav.

net/img/305_SandMartinRriparia.pdf)

Bank Swallow (http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bank_Swallow/id), Cornell Lab. of Ornithology

Bank Swallow (http://wildspace.ec.gc.ca/life.cfm?ID=BANS&Lang=e), Environment Canada

Bank Swallow (http://museum.gov.ns.ca/mnh/nature/nsbirds/bns0258.htm), Birds of Nova Scotia

Bank Swallow (http://talkaboutwildlife.ca/profile/?s=211), Talk about Wildlife

http://talkaboutwildlife.ca/profile/?s=211http://museum.gov.ns.ca/mnh/nature/nsbirds/bns0258.htmhttp://wildspace.ec.gc.ca/life.cfm?ID=BANS&Lang=ehttp://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bank_Swallow/idhttp://www.ibercajalav.net/img/305_SandMartinRriparia.pdfhttp://www.ibercajalav.net/img/305_SandMartinRriparia.pdfhttp://www.biologiezentrum.at/biophp/arti_det.php?litnr=23939&artinr=43969http://www.biologiezentrum.at/biophp/arti_det.php?litnr=23939&artinr=43969

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Article Sources and Contributors 5

Article Sources and ContributorsSand Martin Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=558112595 Contributors: Abigail-II, Aerobird, Ashish Kumar Rana, Ashot Gabrielyan, Bartkauz, Big iron, Bkmertz,Brambleshire, Breakinguptheguy, Bruinfan12, CanisRufus, Choij, Common Man, DanielCD, Dger, Dysmorodrepanis, Etxrge, Eugene van der Pijll, First Light, Gouerouz, Heinzelmann4, Ingii,Innotata, Jeepo, Jeffrey O. Gustafson, JerryFriedman, Jimfbleak, Joelr31, Kaarel, Kazubon, Khaled0147, Kmoksy, Knutux, Koavf, Lemazardien, Mohd. Toukir Hamid, Mukerjee, Mwng,Myosotis Scorpioides, Snowmanradio, Stemonitis, Tannin, Template namespace initialisation script, U317537, Vicpeters, Vultur, WikiLambo, Woohookitty, Yerpo, Zigzig20s, 24 anonymousedits

Image Sources, Licenses and Contributorsfile:Riparia riparia -Markinch, Fife, Scotland -flying-8-4c.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Riparia_riparia_-Markinch,_Fife,_Scotland_-flying-8-4c.jpg License:Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Contributors: Riparia_riparia_-Markinch,_Fife,_Scotland_-flying-8.jpg: Nigel Wedge from Fife, Scotland derivative work: Snowmanradio (talk)

file:Status iucn3.1 LC.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Status_iucn3.1_LC.svg License: unknown Contributors: Clindberg, Foomin10, Ismukhammed, Kelson,Palosirkka, Pengo, ZxxZxxZ, 8 anonymous edits

File:Digesvale.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Digesvale.jpg License: unknown Contributors: Achird, Ejdzej, Kilom691, Malene, Nillerdk, Ogre, Rooivalk, Senip2,Wst, 1 anonymous edits

File:Riparia Riparia-2006-Ejdzej-1.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Riparia_Riparia-2006-Ejdzej-1.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0Unported Contributors: Ejdzej

File:Sand-Martin.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Sand-Martin.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 2.5 Contributors: Andreas Trepte

File:Riparia riparia-nest.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Riparia_riparia-nest.jpg License: GNU Free Documentation License Contributors: Axel Strau

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