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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)
.
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
Population and Distribution
Population Trend:
Regional Trends:
Distribution:
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
Birds in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of:
Bern(III)
Survey Results:
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)
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
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
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
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