Sand Martin

Scientific Name: Riparia riparia
Malay Name: Layang-layang Perang Belang Biasa
Chinese Name: 崖沙燕
Alternative Name(s): Common Sand Martin

Range:
Found throughout the Holarctic (which encompasses majority of habitats found throughout the northern continents of the world) and winters to South America, sub-Saharan Africa, the Indian subcontinent, southern China and Southeast Asia

Taxonomy:
Polytypic. Subspecies are: riparia, taczanowskii, ijimae, shelleyi.

Local Subspecies: ijimae

Size: 11.5-13 cm

Identification:
Adult resembles Barn Swallow and Asian House Martin but has all brown upperparts, contrasting whitish underparts with broad brown breast-band and shallow forked tail. Juvenile resembles adult but has less distinct breast-band.

Similar looking species: Barn Swallow, Asian House Martin

Habitat: Lakes, rivers, reservoirs and coastal areas.

Behaviour/Ecology:

Local Status: Rare migrant

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2019)

Featured reports: Mar 2022, Nov 2022, Dec 2022

Past accepted records in our database:

Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):

Sand Martin at Neo Tiew Harvest Lane. Photo credit: Francis Yap

Sand Martin at Neo Tiew Harvest Lane. Photo credit: Francis Yap

Sand Martin at Seletar Dam. Photo Credit: Con Foley

Sand Martin at Sg Serangoon. Photo Credit: Francis Yap

Sand Martin at Seletar Dam. Photo Credit: Con Foley

Sand Martin at Neo Tiew Harvest Lane. Photo credit: Francis Yap

Sand Martin at Neo Tiew Harvest Lane. Photo credit: Francis Yap