Latin Name: Riparia riparia

Family : hirundinides

Description ( photo, colour of the male and female, height, shape of beak) :
Height: 12 cm Wingspan: 30 cm Weight: 12 to 18g
The sand martin of the shore is the only sand martin with a brown back, its stomach is white. When this bird is in flight, it is easy to recognise: the underside of the wings are dark grey/brown. Its tail is short and it hardly has a neck, its beak and its feet are black. It has a brown band under the neck ( pectoral strip).

Reproduction :
She lays 4 to 5 eggs which are a pure white colour. They measure 1,8 cm. After a 14 day incubation period, the young are born. The sand martin digs a hole about 1m deep.She builds her nest with grass and feathers. The nests are built on steep parts of cliffs, on gravel, on sand or in the riverbank.

Diet:
It eats gnats and other insects. It eats dragonflies almost as long as itself.

Habitat:
It lives in naturally damp areas: rivers, coastal or man-made cliffs (sand quarries, roadside embankments).

Migration :
It migrates and is present in the whole of Europe, more importantly the population is found in the east of the continent as well as in Spain. In France, it lives in the northern part of the country. Almost all of the species winters in Africa in the southern desert area.

Conservation ( protected species or not) :
It is a protected species.

Lifespan : 8 years maximum

Cry or song ( description) :
It chirps. It gives out a rolling cry "tchrrip or tchrrtchrr ". Its cry of alarm is brief and hoarse "britt ".

photo : Alain Fossé