Editing Swallow

{{short description|Family of songbirds}}
{{About|the family of birds|the action|Swallowing|other uses|}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| name = Swallow
| fossil_range = {{fossil range|23|0|[[Early Miocene]] to present}}
| image = Pied-winged swallow (Hirundo leucosoma).jpg
| image_caption = [[Pied-winged swallow]] ''Hirundo leucosoma''
| taxon = Hirundinidae
| authority = [[Constantine Samuel Rafinesque|Rafinesque]], 1815
| subdivision_ranks = Genera
| subdivision = 21, see text
}}

The '''swallows''', '''martins''', and '''saw-wings''', or '''Hirundinidae''' are a family of [[passerine]] [[songbird]]s found around the world on all continents, including occasionally in [[Antarctica]]. Highly adapted to aerial feeding, they have a distinctive appearance. The term "swallow" is used as the common name for ''[[barn swallow|Hirundo rustica]]'' in the [[UK]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/swallow|title=Swallow Bird Facts|website=RSPB|access-date=8 May 2024}}</ref> and [[Ireland]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://birdwatchireland.ie/birds/swallow/|title=Swallow|website=Birdwatch Ireland|access-date=8 May 2024}}</ref> Around 90 species of [[Hirundinidae]] are known, divided into 21 [[genus|genera]], with the greatest diversity found in Africa, which is also thought to be where they evolved as hole-nesters.<ref name="Handbook">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0diG7y7Kk54C&pg=PA12 |page=12 |title=A Handbook to the Swallows and Martins of the World |author1=Angela Turner |author2=Chris Rose |publisher=A&C Black |year=2010|isbn=9781408131725 }}</ref> They also occur on a number of oceanic islands. A number of European and North American species are long-distance [[bird migration|migrants]]; by contrast, the West and South African swallows are nonmigratory.

This family comprises two subfamilies: '''[[Pseudochelidoninae]]''' (the [[river martin]]s of the genus ''Pseudochelidon'') and '''Hirundininae''' (all other swallows, martins, and saw-wings). In the Old World, the name "martin" tends to be used for the squarer-tailed species, and the name "swallow" for the more fork-tailed species; however, this distinction does not represent a real evolutionary separation.<ref name = Turner>{{cite book | last = Turner | first = Angela |author2=Rose, Chris  | title = Swallows and martins: an identification guide and handbook | year = 1989 | publisher = Houghton-Mifflin | isbn = 978-0-395-51174-9 | title-link = Helm identification guides }}</ref> In the New World, "martin" is reserved for members of the genus ''[[Progne]]''. (These two systems are responsible for the same species being called [[sand martin]] in the Old World and bank swallow in the New World.)

==Taxonomy and systematics==
The family Hirundinidae was introduced (as Hirundia) by the French [[polymath]] [[Constantine Samuel Rafinesque]] in 1815.<ref>{{ cite book | last=Rafinesque | first=Constantine Samuel | author-link=Constantine Samuel Rafinesque | year=1815 | title=Analyse de la nature ou, Tableau de l'univers et des corps organisés | volume=1815 | publisher=Self-published | place=Palermo | language=fr | page=68 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/48310146 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book | last=Bock | first=Walter J. | year=1994 | title=History and Nomenclature of Avian Family-Group Names | series=Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History | volume= 222 | publisher=American Museum of Natural History | place=New York | pages=149, 252 | hdl=2246/830 }}<!--Linked page allows download of the 48MB pdf--></ref> The Hirundinidae are morphologically unique within the passerines, with molecular evidence placing them as a distinctive lineage within the [[Sylvioidea]] ([[Old World warbler]]s and relatives).<ref>{{cite journal | last1=Alström | first1= Per |first2= Urban|last2= Olsson|first3= Fumin|last3= Lei|year=2013 | title=A review of the recent advances in the systematics of the avian superfamily Sylvioidea | journal=Chinese Birds | volume=4 | issue=2 | pages=99–131 | url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/266141539 |doi=10.5122/cbirds.2013.0016| doi-access=free | bibcode= 2013AvRes...4...99A }}</ref> Phylogenetic analysis has shown that the family Hirundinidae is [[sister taxon|sister]] to the [[cupwing]]s in the family [[Pnoepygidae]]. The two families diverged in the early [[Miocene]] around 22 million years ago.<ref>{{ cite journal | last1=Oliveros | first1=C.H. | display-authors=etal | year=2019 | title=Earth history and the passerine superradiation | journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States | volume=116 | issue=16 | pages=7916–7925 | doi=10.1073/pnas.1813206116 | pmid=30936315 | pmc=6475423 | bibcode=2019PNAS..116.7916O | doi-access=free }}</ref>

Within the family, a clear division exists between the two subfamilies, the Pseudochelidoninae, which are composed of the two species of river martins,<ref name="Mayr 1951"/><ref name="Sheldon">{{cite journal|last1=Sheldon|first1=Frederick H.|last2=Whittingham|first2=Linda A.|last3=Moyle|first3=Robert G.|last4=Slikas|first4=Beth|last5=Winkler|first5=David W.|title=Phylogeny of swallows (Aves: Hirundinidae) estimated from nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequences|journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution|date=April 2005|volume=35|issue=1|pages=254–270|doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2004.11.008|pmid=15737595|bibcode=2005MolPE..35..254S |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/7995527}}</ref> and the Hirundininae, into which the remaining species are placed. The division of the Hirundininae has been the source of much discussion, with various taxonomists variously [[lumping and splitting|splitting]] them into as many as 24 genera and lumping them into just 12. Some agreement exists that three core groups occur within the Hirundininae: the saw-wings of the genus ''[[Psalidoprocne]]'', the core martins, and the swallows of the genus ''[[Hirundo]]'' and their allies.<ref name ="HBW"/> The saw-wings are the most [[Basal (phylogenetics)|basal]] of the three, with the other two clades being [[sister clade|sister]] to each other. The phylogeny of the swallows is closely related to evolution of nest construction; the more basal saw-wings use burrows as nest, the core martins have both burrowing (in the Old World members) and cavity adoption (in New World members) as strategies, and the genus ''Hirundo'' and its allies use mud nests.<ref name="WinklerSheldon1993">{{cite journal|last1=Winkler|first1=D. W.|last2=Sheldon|first2=F. H.|title=Evolution of nest construction in swallows (Hirundinidae): a molecular phylogenetic perspective|journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences|volume=90|issue=12|year=1993|pages=5705–5707|issn=0027-8424|doi=10.1073/pnas.90.12.5705|pmid=8516319|bibcode=1993PNAS...90.5705W|pmc=46790|doi-access=free}}</ref>

The genus level [[cladogram]] shown below is based on a [[molecular phylogenetic]] study by Drew Schield and collaborators that was published in 2024.<ref>{{Cite journal | last1=Schield | first1=D.R. | last2=Brown | first2=C.E. | last3=Shakya | first3=S.B. | last4=Calabrese | first4=G.M. | last5=Safran | first5=R.J. | last6=Sheldon | first6=F.H. | date=2024 | title=Phylogeny and historical biogeography of the swallow family (Hirundinidae) inferred from comparisons of thousands of UCE loci | journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution | volume=197 | pages=108111 | doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2024.108111| pmid=38801965 }}</ref> The choice of [[genera]] and the number of species is taken from the list of birds maintained by [[Frank Gill (ornithologist)|Frank Gill]], [[Pamela C. Rasmussen]] and David Donsker on behalf of the [[International Ornithological Committee]] (IOC).<ref name=ioc>{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor1-link=Frank Gill (ornithologist) | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | editor3-last=Rasmussen | editor3-first=Pamela | editor3-link=Pamela C. Rasmussen | date=February 2025 | title=Swallows | work=IOC World Bird List Version 15.1 | url=https://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/swallows/ | publisher=International Ornithologists' Union | access-date=15 April 2025 }}</ref>
{{Clade | style=font-size:90%;line-height:90%
|label1=[[Hirundinidae]]
|1={{clade
   |1={{clade
      |label1=Pseudochelidoninae
      |1=''[[Pseudochelidon]]'' – river martins (2 species)
      |label2=Hirundininae
      |2={{clade
         |1=''[[Psalidoprocne]]'' – saw-wings (5 species)
         |2={{clade
            |label1=mud nesters
            |1={{clade
               |1={{clade
                  |1=''[[Ptyonoprogne]]'' – crag martins (5 species)
                  |2=''[[Hirundo]]'' – swallows (16 species)
                  }}
               |2={{clade
                  |1={{clade
                     |1=''[[Atronanus]]'' – forest swallow
                     |2=''[[Delichon]]'' – house martins (4 species)
                     }}
                  |2={{clade
                     |1=''[[Petrochelidon]]'' – includes cliff swallows (10 species)
                     |2=''[[Cecropis]]'' – swallows (9 species)
                     }}
                  }}
               }}
            |2={{clade
               |1={{clade
                  |1=''[[Pseudhirundo]]'' – grey-rumped swallow
                  |2=''[[Cheramoeca]]'' – white-backed swallow
                  }}
               |2={{clade
                  |1={{clade
                     |1=''[[Phedina]]'' – Mascarene martin
                     |2={{clade
                        |1=''[[Neophedina]]'' – banded martin
                        |2=''[[Phedinopsis]]'' – Brazza's martin
                        }}
                     }}
                  |2={{clade
                     |1=''[[Riparia]]'' – martins (6 species) 
                     |label2=New World endemics
                     |2={{clade
                        |1=''[[Tachycineta]]'' – swallows (9 species)
                        |2={{clade
                           |1=''[[Progne]]'' – martins (9 species)
                           |2={{clade
                              |1=''[[Stelgidopteryx]]'' – rough-winged swallows (2 species)
                              |2={{clade
                                 |1=''[[Atticora]]'' – swallows (3 species)
                                 |2={{clade
                                    |1=''[[Pygochelidon]]'' – swallows (2 species)
                                    |2={{clade
                                       |1=''[[Alopochelidon]]'' – tawny-headed swallow
                                       |2=''[[Orochelidon]]'' – swallows (3 species)
                                       }}
                                    }}
                                 }}
                              }}
                           }}
                        }}
                     }}
                  }}
               }}
            }}
         }}
      }}
   }}
}}

=== Fossil record ===
The oldest known fossil swallow is ''[[Miochelidon|Miochelidon eschata]]'' from the [[Early Miocene]] of [[Siberia]]; it is the only record of Hirundinidae from the [[Miocene]]. It is likely a basal member of the family.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Volkova |first=N. V. |date=2024-08-28 |title=The Oldest Swallow (Aves: Passeriformes: Hirundinidae) from the Upper Lower Miocene of Southeastern Siberia |url=https://link.springer.com/10.1134/S0012496624600258 |journal=Doklady Biological Sciences |volume=518 |issue=1 |pages=261–265 |language=en |doi=10.1134/S0012496624600258 |pmid=39212885 |issn=0012-4966|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

== Description ==
The Hirundinidae have an evolutionarily conservative body shape, which is similar across the [[clade]], but is unlike that of other [[passerine]]s.<ref name ="HBW">{{ cite book | last=Turner | first=Angela K. | year=2004 | chapter=Family Hirundinidae (Swallows and Martins) | editor1-last=del Hoyo | editor1-first=J. | editor2-last=Elliott | editor2-first=A. | editor3-last=Christie | editor3-first=D.A. | title=Handbook of the Birds of the World | volume=9: Cotingas to Pipits and Wagtails | location=Barcelona, Spain | publisher=Lynx Edicions | isbn=978-84-87334-69-6 | pages=602–685 | chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/handbookofbirdso0009unse/page/602/mode/1up | chapter-url-access=registration }}</ref> Swallows have adapted to hunting insects on the wing by developing a slender, streamlined body and long, pointed wings, which allow great maneuverability and endurance, as well as frequent periods of gliding. Their body shapes allow for very efficient [[bird flight|flight]]; the metabolic rate of swallows in flight is 49–72% lower than equivalent passerines of the same size.<ref name="Hails">{{cite journal|last1=Hails|first1=C.J|title=A comparison of flight energetics in hirundines and other birds|journal=Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Physiology|date=1979|volume=63|issue=4|pages=581–585|doi=10.1016/0300-9629(79)90199-3}}</ref>
[[File:Riparia riparia.jpg|thumb|left|The bill of the [[sand martin]] is typical for the family, being short and wide.]]

Swallows have two {{birdgloss|foveae}} in each eye, giving them sharp lateral and frontal vision to help track prey. They also have relatively long eyes, with their length almost equaling their width. The long eyes allow for an increase in visual acuity without competing with the brain for space inside of the head. The morphology of the eye in swallows is similar to that of a raptor.<ref name="TyrrellFernández-Juricic2017">{{cite journal|last1=Tyrrell|first1=Luke P.|last2=Fernández-Juricic|first2=Esteban|title=The hawk-eyed songbird: Retinal morphology, eye shape, and visual fields of an aerial insectivore|journal=The American Naturalist|volume=189|issue=6|year=2017|pages=709–717|issn=0003-0147|doi=10.1086/691404|pmid=28514631|s2cid=3923166}}</ref>

Like the unrelated [[Swift (bird)|swift]]s and [[nightjar]]s, which hunt in a similar way, they have short bills, but strong jaws and a wide gape. Their body lengths range from about {{convert|10|-|24|cm|in |abbr=on}} and their weight from about {{convert|10|-|60|g|oz |abbr=on}}. The smallest species by weight may be the [[Fanti sawwing]], at a mean body mass of {{convert|9.4|g|oz|abbr=on}} while the [[purple martin]] and [[southern martin]], which both weigh in excess of {{convert|50|g|oz|abbr=on}} on average, rival one another as the heaviest swallows.<ref>{{cite book |title=CRC Handbook of Avian Body Masses |edition=2nd |editor-first=John B. Jr. |editor-last=Dunning |publisher=CRC Press |year=2008 |isbn=978-1-4200-6444-5}}</ref> The wings are long, pointed, and have nine primary feathers. The tail has 12 feathers and may be deeply forked, somewhat indented, or square-ended.<ref name ="HBW"/> A long tail increases maneuverability,<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Norberg|first1=R. Ake|title=Swallow Tail Streamer is a Mechanical Device for Self Deflection of Tail Leading Edge, Enhancing Aerodynamic Efficiency and Flight Manoeuvrability|journal=Proceedings of the Royal Society B|date=1994|volume=257|issue=1350|pages=227–233|doi=10.1098/rspb.1994.0119|bibcode=1994RSPSB.257..227N|s2cid=86592049}}</ref><ref name="Buchanan"/> and may also function as a sexual adornment, since the tail is frequently longer in males.<ref name="Buchanan">{{cite journal|last1=Buchanan|first1=Katherine L.|last2=Evans|first2=Matthew R.|title=The effect of tail streamer length on aerodynamic performance in the barn swallow|journal=Behavioral Ecology|date=2000|volume=11|issue=2|pages=228–238|doi=10.1093/beheco/11.2.228|doi-access=free|hdl=10536/DRO/DU:30100792|hdl-access=free}}</ref> In barn swallows, the tail of the male is 18% longer than those of the female, and females select mates on the basis of tail length.<ref name="Moller">{{cite journal|last=Møller|first=Anders pape|year=1992|title=Sexual selection in the monogamous barn swallow (''Hirundo rustica''). II. Mechanisms of sexual selection|journal=Journal of Evolutionary Biology|volume=5|issue=4|pages= 603–624 | doi = 10.1046/j.1420-9101.1992.5040603.x |s2cid=85260912|doi-access=free}}</ref>

Their legs are short, and their feet are adapted for perching rather than walking, as the front toes are partially joined at the base. Swallows are capable of walking and even running, but they do so with a shuffling, waddling gait.<ref name = "leg">{{cite journal|title=Myology of the Leg in Swallows |journal=Auk|year=1969|first=Abbot|last=Gaunt |volume=86 |issue=1|pages=41–53|url=http://sora.unm.edu/node/21819|doi=10.2307/4083540|jstor=4083540|doi-access=free}}</ref> The leg muscles of the river martins (''Pseudochelidon'') are stronger and more robust than those of other swallows.<ref name ="HBW"/><ref name = "leg"/> The river martins have other characteristics that separate them from the other swallows. The structure of the [[Syrinx (bird anatomy)|syrinx]] is substantially different between the two subfamilies;<ref name="Mayr 1951">{{cite journal|last1=Mayr|first1=E.|last2=Amadon|first2=D|title=A Classification of Recent Birds|journal=American Museum Novitates|date=1951|issue=1496|page=16|url=http://digitallibrary.amnh.org/bitstream/handle/2246/3994/N1496.pdf?sequence=1}}</ref> and in most swallows, the bill, legs, and feet are dark brown or black, but in the river martins, the bill is orange-red and the legs and feet are pink.<ref name ="HBW"/>

The most common [[wikt:hirundine|hirundine]] plumage is glossy dark blue or green above and plain or streaked underparts, often white or rufous. Species that [[burrow]] or live in dry or mountainous areas are often matte brown above (e.g. [[sand martin]] and [[crag martin]]). The sexes show limited or no [[sexual dimorphism]], with longer outer tail feathers in the adult male probably being the most common distinction.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Bańbura|first1=Jerzy|title=Sexual dimorphism in wing and tail length as shown by the Swallow ''Hirundo rustica''|journal=Journal of Zoology|date=1986|volume=201|issue=1|pages=131–136|doi=10.1111/j.1469-7998.1986.tb03625.x}}</ref>

The chicks hatch naked and with closed eyes.<ref name="Gill1995">{{cite book|last=Gill|first=Frank B.|title=Ornithology|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jFfs1jsPfwgC&pg=PA434|year=1995|publisher=W. H. Freeman|isbn=978-0-7167-2415-5|page=434}}</ref> Fledged juveniles usually appear as duller versions of the adult.<ref name = Turner/>

==Distribution and habitat==
The family has a worldwide [[cosmopolitan distribution]], breeding on every continent except Antarctica. One species, the [[Pacific swallow]], occurs as a breeding bird on a number of oceanic islands in the Pacific Ocean,<ref name = "Pratt">{{cite book | last = Pratt | first = H. |author2=Bruner, P |author3=Berrett, D. | title = The Birds of Hawaii and the Tropical Pacific | publisher = [[Princeton University Press]] | year = 1987 | location = Princeton | pages = 229 | isbn = 978-0-691-08402-2 | title-link = The Birds of Hawaii and the Tropical Pacific }}</ref> the [[Mascarene martin]] breeds on Reunion and Mauritius in the [[Indian Ocean]],<ref>{{cite book | last = Sinclair | first = Ian |author2=Olivier Langrand  | title = Birds of the Indian Ocean Islands | publisher = Struik | year = 2005 | pages = 118 | isbn = 978-1-86872-956-2 }}</ref> and a number of [[bird migration|migratory]] species are common vagrants to other isolated islands and even to some sub-Antarctic islands and Antarctica.<ref name="Korczak-Abshire">{{cite journal|last1=Korczak-Abshire|first1=Małgorzata|last2=Lees|first2=Alexander|last3=Jojczyk|first3=Agata|title=First documented record of barn swallow (''Hirundo rustica'') in the Antarctic|journal=Polish Polar Research|date=2001|volume=32|issue=4|pages=355–360|doi=10.2478/v10183-011-0021-9|doi-access=}}</ref> Many species have enormous worldwide ranges, particularly the barn swallow, which breeds over most of the Northern Hemisphere and winters over most of the Southern Hemisphere.
[[File:Hirundo abyssinica.jpg|thumb|left|The [[lesser striped swallow]] is a partial migrant within Africa.]] [[File:Adult Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis) in Waterville, Maine.jpg|thumb|A [[northern rough-winged swallow]] photographed in central Maine, the northeastern limit of the species' breeding range.]]
The family uses a wide range of habitats. They are dependent on flying insects, and as these are common over waterways and lakes, they frequently feed over these, but they can be found in any open habitat, including grasslands, open woodland, savanna, marshes, mangroves, and scrubland, from [[sea level]] to high alpine areas.<ref name ="HBW"/> Many species inhabit human-altered landscapes, including agricultural land and even urban areas. Land-use changes have also caused some species to expand their range, most impressively the [[welcome swallow]], which began to colonise [[New Zealand]] in the 1920s, started breeding in the 1950s, and is now a common landbird there.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Tarburton | first1 = M.K. | year = 1993 | title = A Comparison of the Breeding Biology of the Welcome Swallow in Australia and Recently Colonized New Zealand | journal = Emu | volume = 93 | issue = 1| pages = 34–43 | doi = 10.1071/MU9930034 | bibcode = 1993EmuAO..93...34T }}</ref>

Species breeding in temperate regions [[bird migration|migrate]] during the winter when their insect prey populations collapse. Species breeding in more tropical areas are often more sedentary, although several tropical species are partial migrants or make shorter migrations. In [[ancient history|antiquity]], swallows were thought to have [[hibernate]]d in a state of [[torpor]], or even that they withdrew for the winter under water. [[Aristotle]] ascribed hibernation not only to swallows, but also to [[Stork|storks]] and [[Kite (bird)|kites]]. Hibernation of swallows was considered a possibility even by as acute an observer as Rev. [[Gilbert White]], in his ''[[The Natural History and Antiquities of Selborne]]'' (1789, based on decades of observations).<ref>In 1878, Dr. Elliott Coues, listed titles of 182 papers dealing with the hibernation of swallows ([http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/migratio/ideas.htm (USGS: Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center) "Early ideas about migration"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080827023000/http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/migratio/ideas.htm |date=2008-08-27 }}).</ref> This idea may have been supported by the habit of some species to roost in some numbers in dovecotes, nests and other forms of shelter during harsh weather, and some species even entering torpor.<ref name ="HBW"/> There were several reports of suspected torpor in swallows from 1947,<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Lariewski|first1=Robert C.|last2=Thompson|first2=Henry J.|title=Field Observation of Torpidity in the Violet-Green Swallow|journal=Condor|date=1965|volume=68|issue=1|pages=102–103|url=https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/condor/v068n01/p0102-p0103.pdf|doi=10.2307/1365178|jstor=1365178}}</ref> such as a 1970 report that [[white-backed swallow]]s in Australia may conserve energy this way,<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Serventy|first1=D. L.|title=Torpidity in the White-backed Swallow.|journal=Emu|date=1970|volume=70|issue=1|pages=27–28|url=http://www.publish.csiro.au/MU/pdf/MU970027a|doi=10.1071/mu970027a|bibcode=1970EmuAO..70...27S |url-access=subscription}}</ref> but the first confirmed study that they or any passerine entered torpor was a 1988 study on [[house martin]]s.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Prinzinger|first1=R|last2=Siedle|first2=K|title=Ontogeny of metabolism, thermoregulation and torpor in the house martin ''Delichon u. urbica'' (L.) and its ecological significance|journal=Oecologia|date=1988|volume=76|issue=2|pages=307–312|doi=10.1007/BF00379969|pmid=28312213|bibcode=1988Oecol..76..307P|s2cid=52596}}</ref>

==Behaviour and ecology==
[[File:Tachycineta  bicolor 18319.JPG|thumb|A [[tree swallow]] attending its nest in a tree cavity]]

Swallows are excellent flyers and use these skills to feed and attract mates. Some species, such as the [[mangrove swallow]], are [[territory (animal)|territorial]], whereas others are not and simply defend their nesting sites. In general, the male selects a nest site, and then attracts a female using song and flight and (dependent on the species) guards his territory. The size of the territory varies depending on the species of swallow; in [[Bird colony|colonial-nesting]] species, it tends to be small, but it may be much larger for solitary nesters. Outside the breeding season, some species may form large flocks, and species may also roost communally. This is thought to provide protection from predators, such as [[Accipiter|sparrowhawks]] and [[Falcon|hobbies]].<ref name ="HBW"/> These roosts can be enormous; one winter-roosting site of barn swallows in Nigeria attracted 1.5&nbsp;million individuals.<ref name="roost">{{cite journal | last1 = Bijlsma | first1 = R | year = 2003 | title = A Barn Swallow ''Hirundo rustica'' roost under attack: timing and risks in the presence of African Hobbies ''Falco cuvieri'' | url = http://ardeajournal.natuurinfo.nl/ardeapdf/a93-037-048.pdf | journal = Ardea | volume = 93 | issue = 1 | pages = 37–48 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081031130906/http://ardeajournal.natuurinfo.nl/ardeapdf/a93-037-048.pdf | archive-date = 2008-10-31 }}</ref> Nonsocial species do not form flocks, but recently fledged chicks may remain with their parents for a while after the breeding season. If a human being gets too close to their territory, swallows attack them within the perimeter of the nest. Colonial species may mob predators and humans that are too close to the colony.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Shields|first1=William|title=Barn swallow mobbing: Self-defence, collateral kin defence, group defence, or parental care?|journal=Animal Behaviour|date=1984|volume=32|issue=1|pages=132–148|doi=10.1016/s0003-3472(84)80331-0|s2cid=53193659}}</ref>

===Diet and feeding===
For the most part, swallows are insectivorous, taking flying insects on the wing.<ref name ="HBW"/> Across the whole family, a wide range of insects is taken from most insect groups, but the composition of any one prey type in the diet varies by species and with the time of year. Individual species may be selective; they do not scoop up every insect around them, but instead select larger prey items than would be expected by random sampling.<ref>{{cite journal|last=McCarty|first=John P.|author2=David W. Winkler |year=1999|title=Foraging Ecology and Diet Selectivity of Tree Swallows Feeding Nestlings|journal=Condor|volume=101|issue=2|pages=246–254 |url=http://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/condor/v101n02/p0246-p0254.pdf|doi=10.2307/1369987|jstor=1369987}}</ref> In addition, the ease of capture of different insect types affects their rate of predation by swallows.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Hespenheide|first=Henry A.|year=1975|title=Selective predation by two swifts and a swallow in Central America|journal=Ibis|volume=117|issue=1|pages=82–99|doi = 10.1111/j.1474-919X.1975.tb04189.x}}</ref> They also avoid certain prey types; in particular, stinging insects such as [[bee]]s and [[wasp]]s are generally avoided. In addition to insect prey, a number of species occasionally consume fruits and other plant matter. Species in Africa have been recorded eating the seeds of ''[[Acacia]]'' trees, and these are even fed to the young of the [[greater striped swallow]].<ref name ="HBW"/><ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Underhill | first1 = L | last2 = Hofmeyr | first2 = J | year = 2007 | title = Barn Swallows ''Hirundo rustica'' disperse seeds of Rooikrans ''Acacia cyclops'', an invasive alien plant in the Fynbos Biome |journal = Ibis | volume = 149 | issue = 3| pages = 468–471 | doi = 10.1111/j.1474-919X.2007.00598.x }}</ref>

The swallows generally forage for prey on the wing, but they on occasion snap prey off branches or on the ground. The flight may be fast and involve a rapid succession of turns and banks when actively chasing fast-moving prey; less agile prey may be caught with a slower, more leisurely flight that includes flying in circles and bursts of flapping mixed with gliding. Where several species of swallows feed together, they separate into different [[niche (ecology)|niches]] based on height off the ground, some species feeding closer to the ground and others feeding at higher levels.<ref name="competition">{{cite journal|last1=Orłowski|first1=Grzegorz|last2=Karg|first2=Jerzy|title=Diet breadth and overlap in three sympatric aerial insectivorous birds at the same location|journal=Bird Study|date= 2013|volume=60|issue=4|pages=475–483|doi=10.1080/00063657.2013.839622|doi-access=|bibcode=2013BirdS..60..475O }}</ref> Similar separation occurs where feeding overlaps with [[Swift (bird)|swift]]s. [[Niche differentiation|Niche separation]] may also occur with the size of prey chosen.<ref name="competition"/>

===Breeding===
[[File:Nesting Swallows at Skomer Island, Wales.webm|thumb|Swallow chicks nesting at the [[Skomer|Skomer Marine Conservation Zone]], 2017: Video by [[Natural Resources Wales]]]]
[[File:Cliff Swallow-27527-2.jpg|thumb|left|Two [[American cliff swallow]]s constructing mud nests]]
The more primitive species nest in existing cavities, for example in an old [[woodpecker]] nest, while other species excavate burrows in soft substrate such as sand banks.<ref name ="HBW"/> Swallows in the genera ''Hirundo'', ''Ptyonoprogne'', ''Cecropis'', ''Petrochelidon'', ''Atronanus'' and ''Delichon'' build mud nests close to overhead shelter in locations that are protected from both the weather and predators. The mud-nesters are most common in the Old World, particularly Africa, whereas cavity-nesters are more common in the New World. Mud-nesting species in particular are limited in areas of high humidity, which causes the mud nests to crumble. Many cave-, bank-, and cliff-dwelling species of swallows nest in large colonies. Mud nests are constructed by both males and females, and amongst the tunnel diggers, the excavation duties are shared, as well. In historical times, the introduction of man-made stone structures such as barns and bridges, together with forest clearance, has led to an abundance of colony sites around the globe, significantly increasing the breeding ranges of some species. Birds living in large colonies typically have to contend with both [[parasitism|ectoparasite]]s and conspecific [[brood parasite|nest parasitism]].<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Brown | first1 = C | last2 = Brown | first2 = M | year = 1986 | title = Ectoparasitism as a Cost of Coloniality in Cliff Swallows (''Hirundo pyrrhonota'') | journal = Ecology | volume = 67 | issue = 5| jstor=1938676| pages = 1206–1218 | doi = 10.2307/1938676 | bibcode = 1986Ecol...67.1206B | url = http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1475&context=natrespapers | url-access = subscription }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Brown | first1 = C | year = 1984 | title = Laying Eggs in a Neighbor's Nest: Benefit and Cost of Colonial Nesting in Swallows | journal = Science | volume = 224 | issue = 4648| pages = 518–519 | doi = 10.1126/science.224.4648.518 | pmid = 17753777 | bibcode = 1984Sci...224..518B | s2cid = 21128259 }}</ref> In barn swallows, old mated males and young unmated males benefit from colonial behaviour, whereas females and mated young males likely benefit more from nesting by themselves.<ref name="Møller1987">{{cite journal|last1=Møller|first1=Anders Pape|title=Advantages and disadvantages of coloniality in the swallow, ''Hirundo rustica''|journal=Animal Behaviour|volume=35|issue=3|year=1987|pages=819–832|issn=0003-3472|doi=10.1016/S0003-3472(87)80118-5|s2cid=53185342}}</ref>

Pairs of mated swallows are monogamous,<ref>[http://www.eeb.cornell.edu/winkler/botw/hirundinidae.html Hirundinidae] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020504182255/http://www.eeb.cornell.edu/winkler/botw/hirundinidae.html |date=2002-05-04 }}. eeb.cornell.edu</ref> and pairs of nonmigratory species often stay near their breeding area all year, though the nest site is defended most vigorously during the breeding season. Migratory species often return to the same breeding area each year, and may select the same nest site if they were previously successful in that location. First-year breeders generally select a nesting site close to where they were raised.<ref>[http://www.answers.com/topic/swallows-hirundinidae-biological-family Swallows (Hirundinidae)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090129193740/http://www.answers.com/topic/swallows-hirundinidae-biological-family |date=2009-01-29 }}. Answers.com</ref> The breeding of temperate species is seasonal, whereas that of subtropical or tropical species can either be continuous throughout the year or seasonal. Seasonal species in the subtropics or tropics usually time their breeding to coincide with the peaks in insect activity, which is usually the wet season, but some species, such as the [[white-bibbed swallow]], nest in the dry season to avoid flooding in their riverbank nesting habitat.<ref name ="HBW"/> All swallows defend their nests from egg predators, although solitary species are more aggressive towards predators than colonial species.<ref name = "colonial">{{cite journal | last1 = Snapp | first1 = B | year = 1976 | title = Colonial Breeding in the Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) and Its Adaptive Significance | url = http://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/condor/v078n04/p0471-p0480.pdf | journal = The Condor | volume = 78 | issue = 4| pages = 471–480 | doi = 10.2307/1367096 | jstor = 1367096 }}</ref> Overall, the contribution of male swallows towards parental care is the highest of any passerine bird.<ref name ="HBW"/>

{{multiple image
 | width = 250
 | align = 
 | image1 = Wire tailed swallow2 @kannur.jpg
 | alt1 = Parent approaching with food
 | image2 = Wire tailed swallow @kannur.jpg
 | alt2 = Transferring the food
 | footer = A [[wire-tailed swallow]] feeding a recently fledged chick
}}
The [[egg (biology)|eggs]] of swallows tend to be white, although those of some mud-nesters are speckled. The typical [[avian clutch size|clutch size]] is around four to five eggs in temperate areas and two to three eggs in the tropics. The [[avian incubation|incubation]] duties are shared in some species, and in others the eggs are incubated solely by the females. Amongst the species where the males help with incubation, their contribution varies amongst species, with some species such as the cliff swallow sharing the duties equally and the female doing most of the work in others. Amongst the barn swallows, the male of the American subspecies helps (to a small extent), whereas the European subspecies does not. Even in species where the male does not incubate the eggs, he may sit on them when the female is away to reduce heat loss (this is different from incubation as that involves warming the eggs, not just stopping heat loss). Incubation stints last for 5–15 minutes and are followed by bursts of feeding activity. From laying, swallow eggs take 10–21 days to hatch, with 14–18 days being more typical.<ref name ="HBW"/>

The chicks of swallows hatch naked, generally with only a few tufts of down. The eyes are closed and do not fully open for up to 10 days. The feathers take a few days to begin to sprout, and the chicks are brooded by the parents until they are able to [[thermoregulate]]. On the whole, they develop slowly compared to other passerine birds. The parents do not usually feed the chicks individual insects, but instead feed a bolus of food comprising 10–100 insects. Regardless of whether the species has males that incubate or brood the chicks, the males of all hirundines help feed the chicks. When the young [[fledge]] is difficult to determine, as they are enticed out of the nest after three weeks by parents, but frequently return to the nest afterwards to roost.<ref name ="HBW"/>

===Calls===
[[File:Progne-subis-001.ogg|right|thumb|Song of the [[purple martin]].]]
Swallows are able to produce many different [[bird vocalization|calls]] or songs, which are used to express excitement, to communicate with others of the same species, during courtship, or as an alarm when a predator is in the area. The songs of males are related to the body condition of the bird and are presumably used by females to judge the physical condition and suitability for mating of males.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Saino | first1 = N | last2 = Galeotti | first2 = P | last3 = Sacchi | first3 = R | last4 = Møller | first4 = A | year = 1997 | title = Song and immunological condition in male barn swallows (''Hirundo rustica'') |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233341399| journal = Behavioral Ecology | volume = 8 | issue = 94| pages = 364–371 | doi = 10.1093/beheco/8.4.364 | doi-access = free }}</ref> Begging calls are used by the young when soliciting food from their parents. The typical song of swallows is a simple, sometimes musical twittering.

==Status and conservation==
[[File:Bahama Swallow.jpg|thumb|The [[Bahama swallow]] is listed as an [[endangered species]].]]
Species of hirundine that are [[threatened]] with [[extinction]] are generally endangered due to [[habitat loss]]. This is presumed to be the reason behind the decline of the [[critically endangered]] [[white-eyed river martin]], a species that is only known from a few specimens collected in [[Thailand]]. The species presumably breeds in riverbanks, a much diminished habitat in Southeast Asia. As the species has not been reliably seen since 1980, it may already be extinct.<ref name= OBC>{{cite journal|last= Tobias |first=Joe |date=2000 |title= Little known Oriental Bird: White-eyed River-Martin: 1 |journal= [[Oriental Bird Club Bulletin]] |volume=31 |url=http://www.orientalbirdclub.org/publications/bullfeats/eyedmart.html}}</ref> Two insular species, the [[Bahama swallow]] and [[Golden swallow (bird)|golden swallow]], have declined due to forest loss and also competition with [[introduced species]] such as starlings and sparrows, which compete with these swallows for nesting sites. The golden swallow formerly bred on the island of [[Jamaica]], but was last seen there in 1989 and is now restricted to the island of [[Hispaniola]].<ref>{{cite journal|last=Townsend|first=Jason |author2=Esteban Garrido |author3=Danilo A. Mejia|year=2008|title=Nests and Nesting Behavior of Golden Swallow (''Tachycineta euchrysea'') in Abandoned Bauxite Mines in the Dominican Republic|journal=Wilson Journal of Ornithology|volume=120|issue=4|pages=867–871|doi=10.1676/08-001.1|s2cid=85973776 }}</ref>

==Relationship with humans==
[[File:Purple martin colony.jpg|thumb|An artificial [[purple martin]] nesting colony]]
[[File:Landsvale.jpg|thumb|The [[barn swallow]] is the national bird of [[Estonia]].<ref>{{cite web |title=National symbols of Estonia |url=http://www.einst.ee/publications/symbols/ |publisher=The Estonia Institute |access-date=27 November 2007| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071109221700/http://www.einst.ee/publications/symbols/| archive-date= 9 November 2007 | url-status= live}}</ref> They also are one of the most depicted [[birds on stamps|birds on postage stamps]] around the world.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bird-stamps.org/cspecies/12304700.htm |title=Gallery of Barn Swallow stamps from Bird-Stamps.org |access-date=2022-07-21 |archive-date=2020-06-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609085603/http://www.bird-stamps.org/cspecies/12304700.htm |url-status=usurped }}</ref><ref>The American Topical Association lists more than 1000 depictions of swallows and martins on postage stamps around the world. See [http://americantopicalassn.org/pdf/checklists/TopicListFeb2020.pdf] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200331155225/http://americantopicalassn.org/pdf/checklists/TopicListFeb2020.pdf|date=2020-03-31}}</ref><ref>[https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/List_of_Barn_Swallows_on_Postage_Stamps Wikibooks: World Catalogue of Stamps]{{Dead link|date=January 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>]]

Swallows coexist well with humans because of their beneficial role as insect eaters, and some species have readily adapted to nesting in and around human habitation. The barn swallow and [[Common house martin|house martin]] now rarely use natural sites. The [[purple martin]] is also actively encouraged by people to nest around humans and elaborate nest boxes are erected. Enough artificial nesting sites have been created that the purple martin now seldom nests in natural cavities in the eastern part of its range.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Jackson|first1=Jerome|last2=Tate|first2=James Jr.|title=An Analysis of Nest Box Use by Purple Martins, House Sparrows, and Starlings in Eastern North America|journal=The Wilson Bulletin|date=1974|volume=86|issue=4|pages=435–449|jstor=4160543}}</ref>

Because of the long human experience with these conspicuous species, many myths and legends have arisen as a consequence, particularly relating to the barn swallow.<ref name ="HBW"/> Roman historian [[Pliny the Elder]] described a use of painted swallows to deliver a report of the winning horses at a race.<ref name="Brian">{{cite book |last=Brian |first=P.W. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eu46AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA57|title=Bird Navigation|pages=57–58|publisher=Cambridge University Press|year=1955|access-date=2009-03-01}}</ref> There is also the [[Korean culture|Korean]] folktale of [[Heungbu and Nolbu]], which teaches a moral lesson about greed and altruism through the mending of a swallow's broken leg.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.korea.net/NewsFocus/Culture/view?articleId=121330|title = More than just a bird : Korea.net : The official website of the Republic of Korea}}</ref>

During the 19th century, [[Jean Desbouvrie]] attempted to tame swallows and train them for use as messenger birds, as an alternative to [[war pigeon]]s. The swallows would have a light load of course, as a laden swallow could only travel about half as far as an unladen swallow in the same trip. He succeeded in curbing the migratory instinct in young birds and persuaded the government of France to conduct initial testing, but further experimentation stalled.<ref name="Brian" /><ref name="zoologist">{{cite book |author=Anonymous |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u49XAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA398|title= Zoologist: A Monthly Journal of Natural History, ser.3 v.13|pages=398–399|publisher= J. Van Voorst|year=1889|access-date=2009-03-01}}</ref> Subsequent attempts to train homing behaviour into swallows and other passerines had difficulty establishing a statistically significant success rate, although the birds have been known to trap themselves in a cage repeatedly to get to the bait.<ref name="Brian" />

According to a [[Sailors' superstitions|sailing superstition]], swallows are a good omen to those at sea. This probably arose from the fact that swallows are land-based birds, so their appearance informs a sailor that he or she is close to shore.<ref>Eyers, Jonathan (2011). ''Don't Shoot the Albatross!: Nautical Myths and Superstitions''. A&C Black, London, UK. {{ISBN|978-1-4081-3131-2}}.</ref>
An old [[Collective noun#Terms of venery|term of venery]] for swallows is a "flight" or "sweep".<ref>{{cite web|title=Animal Congregations, or What Do You Call a Group of.....?|url=http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/about/faqs/animals/names.htm|work=USGS.gov|publisher=Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center|access-date=13 September 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150320071411/http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/about/faqs/animals/names.htm|archive-date=20 March 2015}}</ref>

==Species list==
The family contains 92 species in 21 genera.<ref name=ioc/>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Image !! Genus   !! Species
|-
|[[File:Pseudochelidoneurystominadubois (cropped).jpg|120px]]||''[[river martin|Pseudochelidon]]'' {{small|Hartlaub, 1861}}  || 
* [[African river martin]], ''Pseudochelidon eurystomina''
* [[White-eyed river martin]], ''Pseudochelidon sirintarae''
|-
|[[File:Fanti Saw-wing (Psalidoprocne obscura) (cropped).jpg|120px]]||''[[Psalidoprocne]]'' {{small|Cabanis, 1850}} ||
* [[Square-tailed saw-wing]], ''Psalidoprocne nitens''
*[[Black saw-wing]], ''Psalidoprocne pristoptera''
* [[Fanti saw-wing]], ''Psalidoprocne obscura''
*[[White-headed saw-wing]], ''Psalidoprocne albiceps''
* [[Mountain saw-wing]], ''Psalidoprocne fuliginosa''
|-
| [[File:Banded martin, or banded sand martin, Riparia cincta, at Rietvlei Nature Reserve, Gauteng, South Africa (31326868871).jpg|120px]] || ''[[Neophedina]]'' {{small|Roberts, 1922}}  ||
* [[Banded martin]], ''Neophedina cincta''
|-
| [[File:Phedina brazzae 1894 edit.jpg|120px]] || ''[[Phedinopsis]]'' {{small|Wolters, 1971}} ||
* [[Brazza's martin]], ''Phedinopsis brazzae''
|-
|[[File:Mascarene Martin RWD.jpg|120px]]||''[[Phedina]]'' {{small|Bonaparte, 1855}}  || 
* [[Mascarene martin]], ''Phedina borbonica''
|-
|[[File:Bank Swallow - Texas H8O5372 (16953712276).jpg|120px]]||''[[Riparia]]'' {{small|Forster,T, 1817}}  || 
* [[Congo martin]], ''Riparia congica''
* [[Sand martin]], ''Riparia riparia''
* [[Pale martin]], ''Riparia diluta''
* [[Brown-throated martin]], ''Riparia paludicola''
* [[Grey-throated martin]], ''Riparia chinensis''
* [[Madagascar martin]], ''Riparia cowani''
|-
|[[File:White-winged Swallow 1052.jpg|120px]]||''[[Tachycineta]]'' {{small|Cabanis, 1850}}  ||
* [[Tree swallow]], ''Tachycineta bicolor''
*[[Bahama swallow]], ''Tachycineta cyaneoviridis''
*[[Violet-green swallow]], ''Tachycineta thalassina''
*[[Golden swallow]], ''Tachycineta euchrysea''
* [[Mangrove swallow]], ''Tachycineta albilinea''
*[[White-rumped swallow]], ''Tachycineta leucorrhoa''
* [[Chilean swallow]], ''Tachycineta meyeni''
* [[Tumbes swallow]], ''Tachycineta stolzmanni''
* [[White-winged swallow]], ''Tachycineta albiventer''
|-
|[[File:White-banded swallow (Atticora fasciata).JPG|120px]]||''[[Atticora]]'' {{small|Gould, 1842}}  || 
* [[White-banded swallow]], ''Atticora fasciata''
* [[Black-capped swallow]],	''Atticora pileata''
* [[White-thighed swallow]], ''Atticora tibialis''
|-
| [[File:Pygochelidon cyanoleuca Golondrina blanquiazul Blue-and-White Swallow (11710253233).jpg|120px]] || ''[[Pygochelidon]]'' {{small|Baird, SF, 1971}} ||
*[[Blue-and-white swallow]], ''Pygochelidon cyanoleuca''
*[[Black-collared swallow]], ''Pygochelidon melanoleuca''
|-
|[[File:Andorinha-morena (Alopochelidon fucata) (18053664071).jpg|120px]]||''[[Alopochelidon]]'' {{small|Ridgway, 1903}}  || 
* [[Tawny-headed swallow]], ''Alopochelidon fucata''
|-
| [[File:Orochelidon murina.jpg|120px]] || ''[[Orochelidon]]'' {{small|Ridgway, 1903}} ||
*[[Pale-footed swallow]], ''Orochelidon flavipes''
*[[Brown-bellied swallow]], ''Orochelidon murina''
*[[Andean swallow]], ''Orochelidon andecola''
|-
|[[File:Southern rough-winged swallow (Stelgidopteryx ruficollis ruficollis).JPG|120px]]||''[[Stelgidopteryx]]'' {{small|Baird, SF, 1858}}  || 
* [[Northern rough-winged swallow]], ''Stelgidopteryx serripennis''
* [[Southern rough-winged swallow]], ''Stelgidopteryx ruficollis''
|-
|[[File:Progne chalybea -Sao Jose do Norte, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil-8.jpg|120px]]||''[[Progne]]'' {{small|Boie, F, 1826}}  ||
* [[Brown-chested martin]], ''Progne tapera''
*[[Peruvian martin]], ''Progne murphyi''
*[[Galápagos martin]], ''Progne modesta''
*[[Purple martin]], ''Progne subis''
*[[Southern martin]], ''Progne elegans''
*[[Grey-breasted martin]], ''Progne chalybea''
*[[Sinaloa martin]], ''Progne sinaloae''
* [[Cuban martin]], ''Progne cryptoleuca''
* [[Caribbean martin]], ''Progne dominicensis''
|-
|[[File:Pseudhirundo griseopyga Sharpe (cropped).jpg|120px]]||''[[Pseudhirundo]]'' {{small|Roberts, 1922}}  || 
* [[Grey-rumped swallow]], ''Pseudhirundo griseopyga''
|-
|[[File:Cheramoeca leucosterna ASWSP - Christopher Watson.jpg|120px]]||''[[Cheramoeca]]'' {{small|Cabanis, 1850}}  || 
* [[White-backed swallow]], ''Cheramoeca leucosterna''
|-
|[[File:Rock Martin (Hirundo fuligula) (32682255041).jpg|120px]]||''[[Ptyonoprogne]]'' {{small|Reichenbach, 1850}}  || 
* [[Eurasian crag martin]], ''Ptyonoprogne rupestris''
* [[Pale crag martin]], ''Ptyonoprogne obsoleta''
* [[Red-throated rock martin]], ''Ptyonoprogne rufigula''
* [[Large rock martin]], ''Ptyonoprogne fuligula''
* [[Dusky crag martin]], ''Ptyonoprogne concolor''
|-
|[[File:Hirundo rustica -Saxony, Germany-8.jpg|120px]]||''[[Hirundo]]'' {{small|Linnaeus, 1758}}  ||
* [[Black-and-rufous swallow]], ''Hirundo nigrorufa''
*[[Blue swallow]], ''Hirundo atrocaerulea''
*[[Pied-winged swallow]], ''Hirundo leucosoma''
* [[White-tailed swallow]], ''Hirundo megaensis''
*[[Pearl-breasted swallow]], ''Hirundo dimidiata''
*[[Pacific swallow]], ''Hirundo tahitica''
* [[Hill swallow]], ''Hirundo domicola''
* [[Welcome swallow]], ''Hirundo neoxena''
*[[White-throated swallow]], ''Hirundo albigularis''
*[[Wire-tailed swallow]], ''Hirundo smithii''
*[[White-bibbed swallow]], ''Hirundo nigrita''
*[[Barn swallow]], ''Hirundo rustica''
*[[Angola swallow]], ''Hirundo angolensis''
* [[Red-chested swallow]], ''Hirundo lucida''
* [[Ethiopian swallow]], ''Hirundo aethiopica''
|-
|[[File:Mehlschwalbe Delichon urbicum.jpg|120px]]||''[[Delichon]]'' {{small|Moore, F, 1854}}  || 
* [[Western house martin]], ''Delichon urbicum''
* [[Siberian house martin]], ''Delichon lagopodum''
* [[Asian house martin]], ''Delichon dasypus''
* [[Nepal house martin]], ''Delichon nipalense''
|-
|[[File:Hirundo abyssinica.jpg|120px]]||''[[Cecropis]]'' {{small|Boie, F, 1826}}  ||
* [[Greater striped swallow]], ''Cecropis cucullata''
* [[European red-rumped swallow]], ''Cecropis rufula''
* [[Eastern red-rumped swallow]], ''Cecropis daurica''
* [[African red-rumped swallow]], ''Cecropis melanocrissus''
* [[Sri Lanka swallow]], ''Cecropis hyperythra''
* [[Rufous-bellied swallow]], ''Cecropis badia''
* [[Lesser striped swallow]], ''Cecropis abyssinica''
* [[Red-breasted swallow]], ''Cecropis semirufa''
* [[Mosque swallow]], ''Cecropis senegalensis''
|-
|||[[Forest swallow|''Atronanus'']] {{small|De Silva, 2018}}||
* [[Forest swallow]], ''Atronanus fuliginosus''
|-
|[[File:Fairy Martin (6084093165).jpg|120px]]||''[[Petrochelidon]]'' {{small|Cabanis, 1850}}  ||
*[[American cliff swallow]], ''Petrochelidon pyrrhonota''
*[[Cave swallow]], ''Petrochelidon fulva''
* [[Chestnut-collared swallow]], ''Petrochelidon rufocollaris''
*[[Preuss's cliff swallow]], ''Petrochelidon preussi''
*[[Red-throated cliff swallow]], ''Petrochelidon rufigula''
* [[Red Sea cliff swallow]], ''Petrochelidon perdita''
* [[South African cliff swallow]], ''Petrochelidon spilodera''
* [[Streak-throated swallow]], ''Petrochelidon fluvicola''
* [[Fairy martin]], ''Petrochelidon ariel''
* [[Tree martin]], ''Petrochelidon nigricans''
|-
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote|Swallows}}
{{Commons category|Hirundinidae}}
{{Wikispecies|Hirundinidae}}
*[http://ibc.lynxeds.com/family/swallows-martins-hirundinidae Swallow videos] on the Internet Bird Collection
*[http://81.10.184.26:82/biowww/en/biblio/arti_det?litnr=23790&artinr=43423 The evolution of nest construction in swallows (Hirundinidae) is associated with the decrease of clutch size]{{Dead link|date=June 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=no }} paper in Linzer Biologische Beiträge
*{{Wikisource-inline|list=
**{{Cite NSRW|wstitle=Swallows |short=x |noicon=x}}
**{{Cite EB1911 |last=Newton |first=Alfred |author-link=Alfred Newton |wstitle=Martin |noicon=x}}
**{{Cite EB1911 |last=Newton |first=Alfred |author-link=Alfred Newton |wstitle=Swallow |short=x |noicon=x}}
**{{Cite NIE|wstitle=Swallow|year=1905 |short=x |noicon=x}}
}}

{{Hirundinidae}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q39861}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Hirundinidae]]
[[Category:Songbirds]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]
[[Category:Swallows]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Constantine Samuel Rafinesque]]