Hirundinidae

Swallows, martins, and saw-wings comprise the family Hirundinidae, which are global passerine songbirds adapted for aerial feeding. With approximately 90 species across 21 genera, they thrive particularly in Africa, likely evolving as hole-nesters. This family includes two subfamilies: Pseudochelidoninae (river martins) and Hirundininae (other swallows), with the distinction between “martin” and “swallow” being more common than strictly evolutionary.

Swallows possess excellent vision for tracking prey, measure 10–24 cm in length, and weigh 10–60 g. Males often have longer tails for mate attraction, and their plumage typically features glossy dark upperparts. Chicks hatch naked and helpless, eventually resembling duller adults.

Found worldwide, notable species include the barn swallow and Pacific swallow. Migratory species leave temperate regions in winter, while tropical ones are usually sedentary. Swallows are adept flyers, feeding primarily on flying insects, with nesting methods that vary across species—some use existing cavities, while others build mud nests.

Typically monogamous, swallows lay four to five white eggs in temperate areas and two to three in the tropics. Incubation lasts 10–21 days, with both parents involved in brood care. Young swallows fledge after about three weeks but often return to the nest to roost.