Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Picinguaba, Ubatuba • November 2009

Bird name: Grey Breasted Martin
Latin: Progne chalybea
Other: Gray-breasted Martin • Andorinha-doméstica-grande (Br)
Family: Hirundinidae • Martins

The neck and upper chest of the Gray-breasted Martin is mottled grey. Typical blue-black top of head, neck and shoulders. Dark grey upperside of wings. Forked tail.

Although there are various morphs of the Gray-breasted Martin, I feel fairly certain of the identification of these photos, as these were sitting near Blue-and-white Swallows, which were much smaller.

The Grey-breasted Martin is a relatively large bird for a swallow or martin, found throughout much of Latin America from Mexico to Brazil. In Brazil it is widespread, though only migrating to the far southern states in the austral winter.

There were a dozen or more of these Gray-breasted Martins settling on telephone wires in the Picinguaba Reserve.



Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Ubatuba • November 2009 More photos...

Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Lagoa do Peixe • November 2009

Bird name: Brown Chested Martin
Latin: Progne tapera
Other: Andorinha-do-campo (Br)
Family: Hirundinidae • Martins

The Brown-chested Martin lives throughout Brazil migrating to the south in the summer. It is also found in much of Central and South America.

Visual identification is a little tricky because of confusion with the Sand Martin (Bank Swallow), which looks similar but smaller, so treat these pics with caution. The Brown-chested Martin is white underneath with a brown collar and some brown spreading down chest.

More photos...

Photos copyright: monacoeye • Hyeres, France • May 2009 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Common House Martin
Latin: Delichon urbica
Other: Hirondelle de fenêtre
Family: Hirundinidae • Swallows & Martins

The House Martin is a small migratory Martin with white body and dark tail and wings.More photos...

Photos copyright: monacoeye • Nice, France • April 2009 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Sand Martin
Latin: Riparia riparia
Other: Bank Swallow • Collared Sand Martin • Hirondelle de rivage
Family: Hirundinidae • Swallows & Martins

The Sand Martin returned from migration in April in the Var. It is differentiated from the Crag and House Martin by its white belly and dark collar.More photos...

Photos copyright: monacoeye • Nice & Monaco • Winter 2009 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Crag Martin
Latin: Ptyonoprogne rupestris
Other: Hirondelle de rochers
Family: Hirundinidae • Swallows & Martins

The Crag Martin is a common bird in Monaco in the winter - seen in all altitudes in the region from sea level to the mountains. A fast flyer like all the Martins and Swallows. Fairly nondescript mousey brown, with light throat, and small white “windows” visible in tail, which give it away.More photos...

181 Hirundinidae - Swallows, Martins - IOC 2.5 - 2010

Pseudochelidon eurystomina - African River Martin - Congo region
Pseudochelidon sirintarae - White-eyed River Martin - Southeast Asia

Psalidoprocne nitens - Square-tailed Saw-wing - C, W Africa
Psalidoprocne fuliginosa - Mountain Saw-wing - W Cameroon, Bioko
Psalidoprocne albiceps - White-headed Saw-wing - E, C Africa
Psalidoprocne pristoptera - Black Saw-wing - Widespread Africa
Psalidoprocne obscura - Fanti Saw-wing - W Africa

Pseudhirundo griseopyga - Grey-rumped Swallow - Widespread Africa

Cheramoeca leucosterna - White-backed Swallow - Australia

Phedina borbonica - Mascarene Martin - Madagascar region - E Africa
Phedina brazzae - Brazza's Martin - WC Africa

Riparia paludicola - Brown-throated Martin - Widespread Africa
Riparia chinensis - Grey-throated Martin - C, E, SE Asia - split from R. paludicola
Riparia congica - Congo Martin - Congo region
Riparia riparia - Sand Martin - Widespread Worldwide
Riparia diluta - Pale Martin - C Eurasia - to N India, S China
Riparia cincta - Banded Martin - Widespread Africa

Tachycineta bicolor - Tree Swallow - Widespread North America - S USA to N South America
Tachycineta albilinea - Mangrove Swallow - Widespread Middle America
Tachycineta stolzmanni - Tumbes Swallow - SW Ecuador, NW Peru
Tachycineta albiventer - White-winged Swallow - Colombia to N Argentina
Tachycineta leucorrhoa - White-rumped Swallow - C, SE South America
Tachycineta meyeni - Chilean Swallow - Southern Cone
Tachycineta euchrysea - Golden Swallow - Hispaniola, Jamaica
Tachycineta thalassina - Violet-green Swallow - W USA, W Canada
Tachycineta cyaneoviridis - Bahama Swallow - Bahamas, Cuba

Progne subis - Purple Martin - Widespread North America, Middle America - to South America
Progne cryptoleuca - Cuban Martin - Cuba - to South America?
Progne dominicensis - Caribbean Martin - Caribbean islands - to South America?
Progne sinaloae - Sinaloa Martin - W Mexico
Progne chalybea - Grey-breasted Martin - Widespread Latin America
Progne modesta - Galapagos Martin - Galápagos Islands
Progne murphyi - Peruvian Martin - W Peru, N Chile
Progne elegans - Southern Martin - Widespread South America
Progne tapera - Brown-chested Martin - Widespread South America, also Panama

Notiochelidon cyanoleuca - Blue-and-white Swallow - Widespread South America, also Panama
Notiochelidon murina - Brown-bellied Swallow - W Venezuela to C Bolivia
Notiochelidon flavipes - Pale-footed Swallow - W Venezuela to C Bolivia
Notiochelidon pileata - Black-capped Swallow - S Mexico to W El Salvador

Haplochelidon andecola - Andean Swallow - C Peru to NW Argentina

Atticora fasciata - White-banded Swallow - Amazonia
Atticora melanoleuca - Black-collared Swallow - SE Amazonia

Neochelidon tibialis - White-thighed Swallow - Panama to W Ecuador, W Amazonia

Stelgidopteryx serripennis - Northern Rough-winged Swallow - Widespread North America, Middle America
Stelgidopteryx ruficollis - Southern Rough-winged Swallow - Costa Rica to SE South America

Alopochelidon fucata - Tawny-headed Swallow - C, SE South America

Hirundo rustica - Barn Swallow - Widespread Worldwide
Hirundo lucida - Red-chested Swallow - C, W, NE Africa
Hirundo angolensis - Angola Swallow - SC, SW Africa
Hirundo tahitica - Pacific Swallow - SE Asia to New Guinea & Society Islands
Hirundo domicola - Hill Swallow - S India, Sri Lanka - split from H. tahitica
Hirundo neoxena - Welcome Swallow - Australia, New Zealand
Hirundo albigularis - White-throated Swallow - S, SC Africa
Hirundo aethiopica - Ethiopian Swallow - NE, C Africa
Hirundo smithii - Wire-tailed Swallow - Widespread Africa, Asia
Hirundo atrocaerulea - Blue Swallow - C, SE Africa
Hirundo nigrita - White-bibbed Swallow - C, W Africa
Hirundo leucosoma - Pied-winged Swallow - W Africa
Hirundo megaensis - White-tailed Swallow - S Ethiopia
Hirundo nigrorufa - Black-and-rufous Swallow - SC Africa
Hirundo dimidiata - Pearl-breasted Swallow - S, SC Africa

Ptyonoprogne rupestris - Eurasian Crag Martin - SW, S Eurasia - to N Africa, India
Ptyonoprogne obsoleta - Pale Crag Martin - SC, Eurasia, also N Africa
Ptyonoprogne fuligula - Rock Martin - Widespread Africa
Ptyonoprogne concolor - Dusky Crag Martin - India, Southeast Asia

Delichon urbicum - Common House Martin - Widespread Eurasia - to Southeast Asia, Africa
Delichon dasypus - Asian House Martin - S, E Eurasia -
Delichon nipalense - Nepal House Martin - Himalayas to NW Vietnam

Cecropis cucullata - Greater Striped Swallow - S, SC Africa
Cecropis abyssinica - Lesser Striped Swallow - Widespread Africa
Cecropis semirufa - Red-breasted Swallow - Widespread Africa
Cecropis senegalensis - Mosque Swallow - Widespread Africa
Cecropis daurica - Red-rumped Swallow - Widespread Eurasia, Asia, Africa
Cecropis hyperythra - Sri Lanka Swallow - Sri Lanka - split from C. daurica
Cecropis domicella - West African Swallow - W Africa from Senegambia to E Sudan
Cecropis striolata - Striated Swallow - Widespread Asia
Cecropis badia - Rufous-bellied Swallow - Malay Peninsula

Petrochelidon rufigula - Red-throated Cliff Swallow - SC, W Africa
Petrochelidon preussi - Preuss's Cliff Swallow - C, W Africa
Petrochelidon perdita - Red Sea Cliff Swallow - E Sudan
Petrochelidon spilodera - South African Cliff Swallow - S, SC Africa
Petrochelidon fuliginosa - Forest Swallow - W Africa
Petrochelidon fluvicola - Streak-throated Swallow - Pakistan, India
Petrochelidon ariel - Fairy Martin - Australia
Petrochelidon nigricans - Tree Martin - Widespread Australasia
Petrochelidon pyrrhonota - American Cliff Swallow - Widespread North America, Middle America - to South America
Petrochelidon fulva - Cave Swallow - S USA, Caribbean, Mexico
Petrochelidon rufocollaris - Chestnut-collared Swallow - Ecuador, Peru