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Hirundinidae - Swallows, Martins

 

Classification

 Phylum: Chordata
 Class: Aves
 Order: Passeriformes 
 Family: Hirundinidae
Barn SwallowThere are around 82 bird species in this family. They have short, wide bills; short legs; and small, weak feet. Their bodies are long and slender and they have long, pointed wings. Many species have long, forked tails and feathers with a metallic shine on their uppersides and lighter feathers on their undersides. Most species are four to nine inches in length. In most species, males and females look alike.

Bird species in this family are found all over the world. Birds in this family eat insects and they catch their prey in the air. Many species, like the barn swallow, have adapted to living near humans. Barn swallows often use barns and other buildings as nesting sites. Most species in this family live and travel in flocks and all of the species in North America migrate.

galleryHirundinidae Photo Gallery

World Status Key
Least ConcernLeast Concern Near ThreatenedNear Threatened VulnerableVulnerable EndangeredEndangered Critically EndangeredCritically Endangered extinct in the wildExtinct Wild extinctExtinct
Status and range is taken from ICUN Redlist. If no status is listed, there is not enough data to establish status.

US Status Key
Threatened in USThreatened in US Threatened in New HampshireThreatened in NH Endangered in USEndangered in US Endangered in NHEndangered in NH breeds in nhBreeds in NH IntroducedIntroduced
Status taken from US Fish and Wildlife and NH Fish and Game

  New Hampshire Species

 

 North/Central American Species

Bank Swallow - Riparia riparia Least Concern New Hampshire Species breeds in NH
Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica Least Concern breeds in NH
Cliff Swallow - Petrochelidon pyrrhonota Least Concern breeds in NH
Northern Rough-winged Swallow-Stelgidopteryx serripennis Least Concern breeds in NH
Purple Martin - Progne subis Least Concern breeds in NH
Tree Swallow - Tachycineta bicolor Least Concern breeds in NH

  White-thighed Swallow - Neochelidon tibialis Least Concern
Black-capped Swallow - Notiochelidon pileata Least Concern
Cave Swallow - Petrochelidon fulva Least Concern
Grey-breasted Martin - Progne chalybea Least Concern
Cuban Martin - Progne cryptoleuca Least Concern
Caribbean Martin - Progne dominicensis Least Concern
Southern Martin - Progne elegans Least Concern
Sinaloa Martin - Progne sinaloae
Brown-chested Martin - Progne tapera Least Concern
Blue-and-white Swallow - Pygochelidon cyanoleuca Least Concern
Southern Rough-winged Swallow - Stelgidopteryx ruficollis Least Concern
Mangrove Swallow - Tachycineta albilinea Least Concern
White-winged Swallow - Tachycineta albiventer Least Concern
Bahama Swallow - Tachycineta cyaneoviridis Endangered
Golden Swallow - Tachycineta euchrysea Vulnerable
Violet-green Swallow - Tachycineta thalassina Least Concern

Other Species Around the World

Africa Africa Asia Asia Australia Australia/Oceania Europe Europe North America North/Central America South America South America New Hampshire Species NH Species

Tawny-headed Swallow - Alopochelidon fucata Least Concern South America
White-banded Swallow - Atticora fasciata Least Concern South America
Black-collared Swallow - Atticora melanoleuca Least Concern South America
White-backed Swallow - Cheramoeca leucosterna Least Concern Australia
Asian House-martin - Delichon dasypus Least Concern Asia
Nepal House-martin - Delichon nipalense Least Concern Asia
Northern House-martin - Delichon urbicum Least Concern Africa Asia Europe
White-eyed River-martin - Eurochelidon sirintarae Critically Endangered Asia
Andean Swallow - Haplochelidon andecola Least Concern South America
Lesser Striped-swallow - Hirundo abyssinica Least Concern Africa
Ethiopian Swallow - Hirundo aethiopica Least Concern Africa
White-throated Swallow - Hirundo albigularis Least Concern
Angola Swallow - Hirundo angolensis Least Concern Africa
Fairy Martin - Hirundo ariel Least Concern Asia Australia
Blue Swallow - Hirundo atrocaerulea Vulnerable Africa
Dusky Crag-martin - Hirundo concolor Least Concern Asia
Greater Striped-swallow - Hirundo cucullata Least Concern
Hirundo daurica Least Concern Africa Asia Europe
Pearl-breasted Swallow - Hirundo dimidiata Least Concern Africa
Hill Swallow - Hirundo domicola Least Concern Asia
Streak-throated Swallow - Hirundo fluvicola Least Concern Asia
Forest Swallow - Hirundo fuliginosa Least Concern Africa
Rock Martin - Hirundo fuligula Least Concern Africa
Pied-winged Swallow - Hirundo leucosoma Least Concern Africa
Red-chested Swallow - Hirundo lucida Least Concern Africa
White-tailed Swallow - Hirundo megaensis Vulnerable Africa
Welcome Swallow - Hirundo neoxena Least Concern Australia
Tree Martin - Hirundo nigricans Least Concern Asia Australia
White-throated Blue Swallow - Hirundo nigrita Least Concern Africa
Black-and-rufous Swallow - Hirundo nigrorufa Least Concern Africa
Pale Crag-martin - Hirundo obsoleta Least Concern Africa Asia
Red Sea Swallow - Hirundo perdita [dd] Africa
Preuss's Swallow - Hirundo preussi Least Concern Africa
Red-throated Swallow - Hirundo rufigula Least Concern Africa
Eurasian Crag-martin - Hirundo rupestris Least Concern Africa Asia Europe
Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica Least Concern Africa Asia Australia Europe North America South America New Hampshire Species breeds in NH
Rufous-chested Swallow - Hirundo semirufa Least Concern Africa
Mosque Swallow - Hirundo senegalensis Least Concern Africa
Wire-tailed Swallow - Hirundo smithii Least Concern Africa Asia
South African Swallow - Hirundo spilodera Least Concern Africa
Pacific Swallow - Hirundo tahitica Least Concern Australia



  White-thighed Swallow - Neochelidon tibialis Least Concern North America South America
Pale-footed Swallow - Notiochelidon flavipes Least Concern South America
Brown-bellied Swallow - Notiochelidon murina Least Concern South America
Black-capped Swallow - Notiochelidon pileata Least Concern North America
Cave Swallow - Petrochelidon fulva Least Concern North America South America
Cliff Swallow - Petrochelidon pyrrhonota Least Concern North America South America New Hampshire Species breeds in NH
Chestnut-collared Swallow - Petrochelidon rufocollaris Least Concern South America
Mascarene Martin - Phedina borbonica Least Concern Africa
Brazza's Martin - Phedina brazzae Least Concern Africa
Grey-breasted Martin - Progne chalybea Least Concern North America South America
Cuban Martin - Progne cryptoleuca Least Concern North America
Caribbean Martin - Progne dominicensis Least Concern North America South America
Southern Martin - Progne elegans Least Concern North America South America
Galapagos Martin - Progne modesta Vulnerable South America
Peruvian Martin - Progne murphyi Vulnerable South America
Sinaloa Martin - Progne sinaloae [dd] North America
Purple Martin - Progne subis Least Concern North America South America New Hampshire Species breeds in NH
Brown-chested Martin - Progne tapera Least Concern North America South America
White-headed Saw-wing - Psalidoprocne albiceps Least Concern Africa
Cameroon Mountain Saw-wing - Psalidoprocne fuliginosa Least Concern Africa
Square-tailed Saw-wing - Psalidoprocne nitens Least Concern Africa
Fanti Saw-wing - Psalidoprocne obscura Least Concern Africa
Blue Saw-wing - Psalidoprocne pristoptera Least Concern Africa
Grey-rumped Swallow - Pseudhirundo griseopyga Least Concern Africa
African River-martin - Pseudochelidon eurystomina [dd] Africa
Blue-and-white Swallow - Pygochelidon cyanoleuca Least Concern North America South America
Banded Martin - Riparia cincta Least Concern Africa
Congo Martin - Riparia congica Least Concern Africa
Plain Martin - Riparia paludicola Least Concern Africa Asia
Bank Swallow - Riparia riparia Least Concern Africa Asia Europe North America South America New Hampshire Species breeds in NH
Southern Rough-winged Swallow - Stelgidopteryx ruficollis Least Concern North America South America
Northern Rough-winged Swallow-Stelgidopteryx serripennis Least Concern North America New Hampshire Species breeds in NH
Mangrove Swallow - Tachycineta albilinea Least Concern North America South America
White-winged Swallow - Tachycineta albiventer Least Concern North America South America
Tree Swallow - Tachycineta bicolor Least Concern North America South America New Hampshire Species breeds in NH
Bahama Swallow - Tachycineta cyaneoviridis Endangered North America
Golden Swallow - Tachycineta euchrysea Vulnerable North America
White-rumped Swallow - Tachycineta leucorrhoa Least Concern South America
Chilean Swallow - Tachycineta meyeni Least Concern South America
Tumbes Swallow - Tachycineta stolzmanni Least Concern South America
Violet-green Swallow - Tachycineta thalassina Least Concern North America South America