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Sand Martin Riparia riparia   [Linnaeus, 1758]
Other Names Trends & Distribution Breeding & Survival Biometrics Books & Links
Order: Passeriformes Family: Hirundinidae
BTO Codes: SM , SANMA EURING No: 9810
Number in Britain: 164 thousand nests (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK: AMBER
European: 3 Concern, most not in Europe; Depleted
Global: Least Concern
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Status in UK: (A)  Migrant Breeder, Passage Visitor
Subspecies: riparia recorded in Britain (of 6 subsp. in the world)
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Length: 12 cm Wingspan: 28 cm Weight: M/F: 14 g    
Scientific name from: L.: riparia=of banks (from ripa=a bank)
World Distribution: BREEDS: Eurasia, n Africa, North America, WINTERS: south to s Africa, s Asia, South America
Habitat: Open country, usually near water
Diet: Small airborne invertebrates, feeds in flight
TitBit: Sand Martins nest in holes in sandy banks, which can be up to 1 m long and are excavated at a rate of 8-10 cm a day  
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Population and Distribution
Population Trend: Wider Countryside Report
Regional Trends: England   English Regions
Distribution: Atlas Maps    (Help with the New Atlas)   
British Population Size:
    Summer: 78 to 250 thousand nests in 1988-81     Note: Best estimate
    First Record: 8th Century
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
    Common in: Pasture Farmland
Relative Frequency in Each Habitat:
Average Day of First Arrival: 25 Mar
European Population Size:
    Summer: 2.4 to 4.5 million pairs
Population Assesment from Birds in Europe
Distribution in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of: Bern(III)
Survey Results: BirdTrack
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Breeding and Survival
Egg Size: 18 x 13 mm Egg Weight: 1.4 g (of which 5 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records: 137   (more would be welcome!)
Clutch Size: 4 - 5 eggs 4.42 ± 0.82 (2 - 7) N = 213
Incubation: 14 - 15 days 14.39 ± 1.19 (12 - 17) N = 213 by the: Male + Female
Fledging: 19 - 21 days 19.87 ± 1.68 (16 - 23) N = 491 as: Altricial, downy
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Nest Record Scheme data
First Clutches Laid: Unavailable
Number of Broods: 1-2
Trends in Breeding Productivity

Number Ringed: 20196
Adult Survival: No data Juvenile Survival: No data
Age at First Breeding: 1 year Typical Lifespan: No data
Maximum Recorded Age: 7yr11m   (Sweden: 10yr 0m)
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Biometrics
Ring Size: A
Wing Length Adult: 106.5 ± 2.8 Range 102 - 111 mm, N =15647
Juvenile: 103.7 ± 3.7 99 - 109 mm, N =2180
Male: 106.6 ± 2.7 102 - 111 mm, N =5607
Female: 106.5 ± 2.9 102 - 111 mm, N =7243
Weight Adult: 13.28 ± 1.57 Range 11.70 - 15.30 g , N =11075
Juvenile: 13.08 ± 1.14 11.20 - 15.00 g , N =1807
Male: 12.90 ± 0.92 11.50 - 14.50 g , N =3723
Female: 13.57 ± 1.20 . 11.80 - 15.80 g , N =4998
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data
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Other Names
Bank Swallow, Collared Sand Martin
Gaelic: Gobhlan-gainmhich Welsh: Gwennol y Glennydd
Danish: Digesvale Dutch: Oeverzwaluw
Finnish: Törmäpääsky French: Hirondelle de rivage
German: Uferschwalbe Hungarian: Parti fecske
Icelandic: Bakkasvala Irish: Gabhlán Gainimh
Italian: Topino Norwegian: Sandsvale
Polish: Brzegówka zwyczajna Portuguese: Andorinha-das-barreiras
Spanish: Avión zapador Swedish: Backsvala
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For More Information...
Books and Monographs:
No books written recently
See Also:
All About Birds (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
Gough, G.A. et al. (1998) Patuxent Bird Identification Infocenter
Wikipedia entry
State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead
Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides.com
Selected scientific papers published 1980-2005
Find more papers on Google Scholar
Find more papers on Scirus

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BirdWeb logo, click to go to BirdWeb BirdFacts home | BTO Home
Email: birdfacts@bto.org

These data should be cited as:
Robinson, R.A. (2005) BirdFacts: profiles of birds occurring in Britain & Ireland (v1.22, Oct 2008). BTO Research Report 407, BTO, Thetford (http://www.bto.org/birdfacts)

 

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