Swallows and Martins

Swallows and martins are small fast-flying agile birds in the family Hirundinidae. There are 74 species in this family worldwide, mostly found in open habitats, where they forage aerially for their prey of flying insects.

There is no particular biological difference between swallows and martins. Sometimes these names are used interchangeably, as in the case of Riparia riparia, known as the sand martin in Western Europe, and as the bank swallow in North America.