Brown-throated Martin vs Sand Martin

Brown-throated Martin

Riparia paludicola

Tiny14 gWetland

The 12 cm long brown-throated martin is brown above and white or pale brown below. It lacks the narrow brown band on the breast shown by the sand martin; the bill is black and the legs are brown. Sexes are similar, but the young have pale tips to the feathers on the rump and wings. The twittering song of the brown-throated martin is continuous when the birds are on the wing, and becomes a conversational undertone after they have settled in the roost. There is also a harsh alarm call.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: i_c_riddell · CC BY 4.0

Sand Martin

Riparia riparia

Tiny13 gRiverine

The sand martin is brown above, white below with a narrow brown band on the breast; the bill is black, the legs brown. The young have rufous tips to the coverts and margins to the secondaries. Its brown back and breast band, white throat, small size and quick jerky flight separate it from similar swallows, such as the common house martin (Delichon urbicum), the American cliff swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) and the tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor).

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Sonothèque ADVL · CC0

Photo: Richard Bowdler Sharpe · Public domain

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Brown-throated Martin and Sand Martin.