Sand Martin

This species is defined as a Review Species . Please submit your records of this species via our record submission page .

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, Jan 2023

Past records in our database:

Showing only accepted records. Records currently under review are also not displayed. For a full list, click here.

Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):

Sand Martin at Seletar Dam. Photo Credit: Con Foley
Sand Martin at Seletar Dam. Photo Credit: Con Foley
Sand Martin at Neo Tiew Harvest Lane. Photo credit: Francis Yap
Sand Martin at Sg Serangoon. Photo Credit: Francis Yap
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 Neo Tiew Harvest Lane. Photo credit: Francis Yap
External Links:

Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page

Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link

Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link

eBird Species page: eBird (Bank Swallow)

References:

BirdLife International. (2019). Riparia riparia. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T103815961A155536007.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023

Jeyarajasingam, A., & Pearson, A. (2012). A Field Guide to the Birds of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. Oxford University Press.

Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.

RECOMMENDED CITATION

Singapore Birds Project. (n.d.). Sand Martin. Retrieved on June 1, 2023 from https://singaporebirds.com/species/sand-martin.