Riparia
Encyclopedia
Riparia is a small genus
of passerine
bird
s in the swallow
family. There are five species
. In taxonomic order, they are:
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.
These species 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. Some species breed colonially.
The cosmopolitan Sand Martin is almost completely migratory
, breeding across temperate Eurasia
and North America
and wintering in the tropics. The other species are partial migrants or resident.
Riparia martins, like other swallows, take insect
s in flight over water, grassland or other open country.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of passerine
Passerine
A passerine is a bird of the order Passeriformes, which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds or, less accurately, as songbirds, the passerines form one of the most diverse terrestrial vertebrate orders: with over 5,000 identified species, it has roughly...
bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s in the swallow
Swallow
The swallows and martins are a group of passerine birds in the family Hirundinidae which are characterised by their adaptation to aerial feeding...
family. There are five species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
. In taxonomic order, they are:
- Riparia paludicola – Brown-throated Sand MartinBrown-throated Sand MartinThe Brown-throated Sand Martin, Brown-throated Martin or Plain Martin, Riparia paludicola, is a small passerine bird in the swallow family...
- (Vieillot, 1817) - Riparia congica – Congo Sand MartinCongo Sand MartinThe Congo Sand Martin, Riparia congica, is a small passerine bird in the swallow family.It occurs only along the Congo River and its tributary, the Ubangi...
- (Reichenow, 1887) - Riparia riparia – Sand MartinSand MartinThe Sand Martin 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...
, or Bank Swallow - (Linnaeus, 1758) - Riparia diluta – Pale Martin - (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Riparia cincta – Banded MartinBanded MartinThe Banded Martin or Banded Sand Martin, Riparia cincta, is a small passerine bird in the swallow family.The Banded Martin is found in open habitats such as farmland, grassland and savannah, usually near water...
- (Boddaert, 1783)
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.
These species 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. Some species breed colonially.
The cosmopolitan Sand Martin is almost completely migratory
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
, breeding across temperate Eurasia
Eurasia
Eurasia is a continent or supercontinent comprising the traditional continents of Europe and Asia ; covering about 52,990,000 km2 or about 10.6% of the Earth's surface located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres...
and North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and wintering in the tropics. The other species are partial migrants or resident.
Riparia martins, like other swallows, take insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s in flight over water, grassland or other open country.