Africa Wild

532. Sand Martin Riparia riparia (Europese Oewerswael)
Order: Passeriformes. Family: Hirundinidae


Description
Length 11-12 cm. Wingspan 25-29 cm. Weight 10-19.5 g. Brown or greyish-brown back and and a slightly darker tail and wings , white belly with brown breast-band and white throat. Tail is shallow forked. Bill and legs are blackish-brown. Sexes similar.
Juveniles have a buffy or cream wash on the belly, a reddish-brown to buffy wash on the face, neck, chin and breast, and pale edges on the feathers of the upperparts.

Distribution
Its breeding grounds are in North America and Eurasia, moving south in the non-breeding season to South America, the Far East and sub-Saharan Africa. Here it is locally common from west to east Africa down to southern Africa but absent from much of the lowland equatorial forests of the DRC and the Congo. In southern Africa it is widely distributed but scarce, most common in the Caprivi Strip, Namibia and northern Botswana, but also occurring in Zimbabwe, Namibia and the eastern half of South Africa, rarely recorded in the Western Cape.



Habitat
Invariably over freshwater lakes, ponds and slow moving rivers where it hawks for insects.

Movements and migrations
Intercontinental migrant, arriving in southern Africa mainly in October extending into December, departing around March-April.

Diet
It eats flying insects, foraging close to vegetation or the water surface, sometimes in flocks with other swallows

Breeding
Breeds colonially in vertical sandy or earth banks, e.g. in gravel-pits and river banks, where nest is excavated (often a good metre horizontally into the earth). The nest burrow is built by both parents; the chamber being lined with plant material and feathers. The eggs are white, and shiny. Incubation and care of the young is carried out by both parents.

Call
The Sand Martin has a harsh, twittering song, and its calls have been described as a dry drrt, a harsh tschr and a short brrit. Listen to Bird Call.

Status
Summer visitor.

532. Sand Martin Riparia riparia (Europese Oewerswael)



Links:
Species text Sabap1
Sabap2
Ian Sinclair, P. A. R. Hockey. The Larger Illustrated Guide to Birds of Southern Africa

534. Banded Martin Riparia cincta (Gebande Oewerswael)
Order: Passeriformes. Family: Hirundinidae


Description
The 15–17 cm long Banded Martin has earth-brown upper parts, except for a white stripe above the eye. Its underparts are white, as are the underwing coverts, and it has a dark brown breast band, and sometimes a thin dark line across the vent. Sexes are similar.
Immatures have a paler breast band. Scaled rufous-buff on upper wing coverts.
It is the largest Riparia species. It is easily distinguished from the smaller Sand Martin by its square or rounded (not forked) tail and white on the underwing coverts in flight. Told from the Brown-throated Sand Martin by its white throat. It is less gregarious than those species, and is typically seen in pairs or small flocks. Separat­ed from juvenile White-throated Swallow by brown (not blue-tinged) upperparts and lack of white panels in tail.
There are a number of subspecies differing in size and the plumage tones of the upper parts or breast band. Nominate R. c. cincla of southern Africa is the palest form.

Distribution
It breeds across Africa from Cameroon and DRC to Ethiopia south to the Cape in South Africa, although it is absent from the driest regions of western South Africa and southern Namibia. The southern nominate subspecies of South Africa and Zimbabwe, is migratory, wintering further north, particularly in the west, where it can move sometimes as far as Gambia. Riparia cincta xerica also leaves its drier breeding grounds in Botswana and northern Namibia in the southern winter. Other subspecies undertake local or altitudinal movements often dependent on the rainfall pattern.



Habitat
The Banded Martin is found in open habitats such as farmland, grassland and savannah, usually near water.

Movements and migrations
Intra-African breeding migrant, arriving in South Africa and Zimbabwe around September-October, later in central Namibia. It departs around April-May for its non-breeding grounds, which are probably in equatorial Africa. However, it is resident in southern Mozambique as well as northern Botswana and the Caprivi Strip.

Diet
Its diet consists of aerial insects, usually taken in flight over grassland.

Breeding
Monogamous and usually solitary. Its nest is at the end of a 60–90 cm long tunnel usually excavated by the birds in a natural sand bank or earth mound. The actual nest is a litter of straw and feathers in a chamber at the end of the burrow. Egg-laying season is from August-March, peaking from November-February. Two to five glossy white eggs are the normal clutch, and eggs are incubated by both parents.
Occasionally parasitised by Greater Honeyguide.

Call
This species has a slow erratic flight and frequently perches. The flight call is che-che-che, and the song is a twittering jumble of chip choop sounds.

Status
Locally common summer visitor. Usually found singly, in pairs or small groups.

534. Banded Martin Riparia cincta

© Amoli

© Flutterby

© Amoli
Kruger National Park

Links:
Species text Sabap1
Sabap2
Ian Sinclair, P. A. R. Hockey. The Larger Illustrated Guide to Birds of Southern Africa

518. Barn Swallow (Formerly known as European Swallow) Hirundo rustica (Europese Swael)
Order: Passeriformes. Family: Hirundinidae



Description
14 cm (streamers = 6 cm). The most common swallow in the region between the months of November and March. The red throat and forehead, blue-black breast band and deeply forked tail are diagostic.
The adult male has steel blue upperparts and a rufous forehead, chin and throat, which are separated from the off-white underparts by a broad dark blue breast band. The outer tail feathers are elongated; giving the distinctive deeply forked "swallow tail." There is a line of white spots across the outer end of the upper tail. White windows clearly visible in tail when spread.
The female is similar in appearance to the male, but the tail streamers are shorter, the blue of the upperparts and breast band is less glossy and the underparts paler.
The juvenile is browner with buffy forehead; it has a paler rufous face, chin and throat and whiter underparts. It also lacks the long tail streamers of the adult.
Similar species: The rufous forehead and throat distinguish the Barn Swallow from other swallows with metallic blue upperparts. lt differs from the Wire-tailed Swallow in that it has a rufous forehead and throat with a broad dark chest-band. The White-throated Swallow is distinguished by white throat and narrow, dark chest band, together with the rufous forehead.

Distribution
Barn Swallows is the most widespread species of swallow in the world. Breeding grounds across North America and Eurasia. In the non-breeding season the population moves south to South America, Africa and southern Asia. In southern Africa it can occur in any habitat, although it is uncommon in arid, semi-arid and high altitude (e.g. Lesotho) areas.



Movements and migrations
Most birds arrive in the region during October-November, leaving in huge flocks around March and April. Adults migrate long distances to their wintering grounds. Although some arrive as early as the beginning of September, the majority only reach southern Africa by late October or early November. They arrive in the most southerly parts of their range a little later than in the north. Departure dates for all areas are early April, with a small number of birds recorded in May, especially in Zimbabwe. Overwintering has been recorded but is rare.
Most European Swallows which reach southern Africa originate from the northern parts of Asia and Europe. Western continental and central European birds mostly visit central Africa, while northern and eastern European birds come to central and eastern Africa, and eastern South Africa. In southern Africa as a whole, however, west, central and east European birds are found together. Ringing recoveries show that British and Irish swallows tend to travel to western and southern South Africa, that those present in the Transvaal come largely from west of the Urals, and those found in the eastern Cape Province and KwaZulu-Natal originate largely from east of the Urals. The race gutteralis, which breeds from the eastern Himalayas to Japan, has also been reported in southeastern Africa in small numbers.

Habitat
Forages over all habitats. It is generally more common in the moist eastern half of the region, favouring Miombo (Brachystegia) woodland, open grassland, pastures, cultivated fields, open water and vleis.

Diet
Mainly insects caught on the wing. A diverse range of insects including Mosquitoes, flies and moths. These swallows also drink on the wing, dipping beaks into the water in flight.

Breeding
The male Barn Swallow returns to the breeding grounds before the females and selects a nest site, which is then advertised to females with a circling flight and song. The breeding success of the male is related to the length of the tail streamers, with longer streamers being more attractive to the female. Females build cup shaped nests out of mud and grasses usually against a hard vertical surface, such as eaves of buildings or under bridges. They often choose the same nest site year after year. Females lay three to five eggs that they incubate for two to three weeks. After hatching, the chicks will remain in the nest for another three to four weeks before fledging. Adults will rear two broods each year, depending on the weather and supply of insects.

Call
The song of the Barn Swallow is a cheerful warble, often ending with su-seer with the second note higher than the first but falling in pitch. Calls include witt or witt-witt and a loud splee-plink when excited. Listen to Bird Call.

Status
Abundant summer visitor. Non-breading Palearctic migrant. First arrivals in September, most in October or early November. Large flocks gather on telephone lines or trees before departing end Feb to early May. Roosts mainly in reedbeds in groups of a few hundred to thousands of birds.

518. Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica (Europese Swael)

© nan

© Pumbaa

© ExFmem
Kruger National Park

© Duke
Kruger National Park

In moult © leachy

Links:
http://sabap2.adu.org.za/docs/sabap1/518.pdf
Sabap2
http://www.oiseaux-birds.com/card-barn-swallow.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barn_Swallow
Sasol

520. White-throated Swallow Hirundo albigularis (Witkeelswael)
Order: Passeriformes. Family: Hirundinidae

© Flutterby

Description
The White-throated Swallow is 14–17 cm long.The white throat and blue-black breast band are diagnostic. It has glossy dark blue upperparts and a bright chestnut crown. A dark blue-black breast band separates the white throat from the greyish white underparts and underwing coverts. The upper wings, underwing flight feathers and forked tail are blackish-blue, but the undertail has white patches near the feather tips. The white throat and blackish breast band are distinctions from similar Hirundo species. The outer feathers are slightly longer in the male than the female. Juveniles are duller than the adult, with shorter outer tail feathers and a browner crown.

Distribution
Occurs from southern DRC, Angola and Zambia to southern Africa. In this region the bulk of Its population lies in South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho, with scattered populations in Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia.



Habitat
Closely associated with water. Open country and grassland, with a preference for highlands and nearby water. It is often found around man-made structures.

Movements and migrations
Intra-African breeding migrant, arriving in southern Africa during July-September and leaving around April-May in flocks of 20-1000 birds. They winter in Angola Zambia and southern DRC.

Diet
It exclusively eats airborne insects, doing most of its foraging close to the ground, hawking prey aerially.

Breeding
This swallow breeds in Southern Africa and is a monogamous, solitary nester, with one breeding pair producing multiple broods in a single breeding season. It builds a bowl-shaped mud nest with a soft lining of grass or hair. It is usually near or over water, and is built on a ledge under an overhang on a rock face or on a man-made structure such as a building, dam wall, culvert or bridge. Uninhabited buildings are preferred to houses. The nest may be reused for subsequent broods or in later years. The egg-laying season is from August to March, peaking between October and December. They lay 2 to 5, white with brown and blue blotched eggs, usually 3 eggs which are incubated by the female for 15 to 18 days. The young are fed by both parents. The chicks fledge between 18 and 25 days, but roost in the nest for at least 2 weeks.

Call
Harsh, sharp twittering notes. Listen to Bird Call.

Status
Common breeding summer visitor.

520. White-throated Swallow Hirundo albigularis (Witkeelswael)

© Peter Connan
Marievale Bird Sanctuary, Gauteng

© Joan
Pilanesberg

© Amoli

© steamtrainfan

© steamtrainfan

© steamtrainfan
Marievale, Gauteng

© Grumpy

Links:
http://sabap2.adu.org.za/docs/sabap1/520.pdf
Sabap2
Sasol

522. Wire-tailed Swallow Hirundo smithii (Draadstertswael)
Order: Passeriformes. Family: Hirundinidae

© BluTuna

Description
13-14 cm. Bright blue upperparts. Flight feathers are darker. White underparts. Chestnut crown. Blue mask through the eye. White spots on the tail. Outer tail feather are very long filaments. The dark band across the vent area, the full orange cap, entirely white underparts and wire-like tail streamers are important for identification. Sexes are similar, but the female has shorter "wires".
Juveniles have a brown crown, back and tail.

Distribution
Occurs across much of Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, absent from the lowland forest of West Africa and the DRC. In southern Africa it is locally common in the extreme north of Namibia, northern Botswana, Zimbabwe, central and southern Mozambique, Swaziland and eastern Limpopo Province, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal.



Habitat
Open country near water and human habitation, Marula savannah, open woodland, bushveld, marshland.

Diet
Hawks aerial insects often in flocks with swallows, such as Grey-rumped (Pseudhirundo griseopyga) and Lesser striped (Hirundo abyssinica) swallows.

Breeding
Monogamous, solitary nester, with the pair bond lasting for the whole breeding season and probably for life. The nest is built by both sexes in about a week, consisting of a flat open cup built of mud pellets and lined with stems, grass and feathers. It is typically placed in an artificial site, such as near the roof of a veranda, on a wooden cross beam, inside a water tower, under a bridge or even on a boat. The same site is used repeatedly over multiple seasons; before laying the eggs the original structure is repaired. Egg-laying season is year-round, peaking from August-December and February-April. The female lays 2-4 eggs, which are incubated solely by the female for 14-19 days. The chicks are brooded by the female for the first few days of their lives after which the male sometimes helps out. They are fed regularly by both parents, leaving the nest after 15-24 days. The fledglings still roost in the nest for at least 3-4 weeks, possibly until the next clutch is laid.

Call The call is a twittering chirrik-weet repeated from a perch and chit-chit while flying. Listen to Bird Call.

Status
Fairly common wetland resident.

522. Wire-tailed Swallow Hirundo smithii

© pooky

© Dewi
Kruger National Park

© Flutterby

© leachy

Links:
Species text Sabap1
Sabap2
Sasol