Sand martin

    Riparia riparia

Castilian: Avión zapador

Catalan: Oreneta de ribera

Gallego: Andoriña das barreiras

Euskera: Uhalde-enara

CLASIFICACIÓN:

Orden: Passeriformes

Family: Hirundinidae

Migratory status: Summer resident

CONSERVATION STATUS:

On the National List of Threatened Species, it appears in the “Of Special Interest” category. In the 2004 edition of the Red Book of Spanish Birds (Libro Rojo de las Aves de España) it is listed as “Not Evaluated”.

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THREATS

Because this species depends heavily on gravel pits, the way humans use them is important because entire colonies in the middle of reproduction could be destroyed. Additionally, the poor condition of rivers and wetlands and the use of pesticides also represent threats.

Length / size: 12 cm / 28 cm

Identification: It is the smallest of the swallows and martins, with very short legs and bill and a slightly forked tail. Its back is brown and its underparts are whitish; it has a wide brown transverse band on its breast and long, pointed wings that stand out during flight for their bottom and front parts, which are darker. This bird is usually observed in groups and near areas with water.

Song: It makes a dry "chirrrp", similar to the sound made by other martins.

Diet: It primarily feeds on flies, mosquitos, bugs, wasps, ants and mayflies, which it captures by chasing them at a low altitude, near the water and its nest.

Reproduction: There are two breeding periods: one begins in March and the other in August. It is a monogamous species (although there are cases of paternity outside pairs) that nests is colonies of different sizes. The male begins to build the nest, a long tunnel that ends in a breeding chamber. Both parents incubate the eggs.

HABITAT

It requires sand or clay slopes, which is why is appears in the riverbanks of wide rivers and in gravel beds. It sometimes nests in rock walls, piers or artificial sand mounds. It usually breeds from sea level up to an elevation of 1,650 metres.

DISTRIBUTION

In Spain: It breeds in the peninsula, and is most abundant in the Duero and high Ebro river basins, and in Majorca. During migration it can be seen all over Spain, even in the Canary Islands.

In Castile and León: It breeds in all the provinces, although the largest concentrations are located near the Rivers Duero, Esla, Carrión and Pisuerga.

Movements and migrations: Migratory species whose Spanish populations leave between August-October to spend the winter in the Sahel and return in February-April, with the males being the first to arrive.

POPULATION

In Spain:

In Castile and León: