Skip to main content

Hirundinidae Collection (#2)

"Hirundinidae: The Aerial Acrobats of the Bird World" The Hirundinidae family, commonly known as swallows and martins

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Barn Swallow -Hirundo rustica-, fledged young sitting on ground, Illmitz, Lake Neusiedl

Barn Swallow -Hirundo rustica-, fledged young sitting on ground, Illmitz, Lake Neusiedl, Burgenland, Austria, Europe

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Cape Cormorant or Cape Shag -Phalacrocorax capensis-, adult flying, landing, Bettys Bay

Cape Cormorant or Cape Shag -Phalacrocorax capensis-, adult flying, landing, Bettys Bay, Western Cape, South Africa

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Arctic Tern -Sterna paradisaea-, Kopasker, Iceland, Europe

Arctic Tern -Sterna paradisaea-, Kopasker, Iceland, Europe

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Common White Terns -Gygis alba-, Marianne Island, Seychelles, Africa, Indian Ocean

Common White Terns -Gygis alba-, Marianne Island, Seychelles, Africa, Indian Ocean

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Barn Swallow -Hirundo rustica-, Burgenland, Austria, Europe

Barn Swallow -Hirundo rustica-, Burgenland, Austria, Europe

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Barn Swallow -Hirundo rustica- with nestlings, Thuringia, Germany

Barn Swallow -Hirundo rustica- with nestlings, Thuringia, Germany

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Begging nestlings, Barn Swallows -Hirundo rustica-, Thuringia, Germany

Begging nestlings, Barn Swallows -Hirundo rustica-, Thuringia, Germany

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Wire-tailed Swallow -Hirundo smithii filifera-, Keoladeo National Park, Rajasthan, India

Wire-tailed Swallow -Hirundo smithii filifera-, Keoladeo National Park, Rajasthan, India

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Barn Swallow -Hirundo rustica-, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany

Barn Swallow -Hirundo rustica-, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Sand Martins -Riparia riparia-, young birds in breeding holes, Emsland, Lower Saxony, Germany

Sand Martins -Riparia riparia-, young birds in breeding holes, Emsland, Lower Saxony, Germany

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Barn swallows, Hirundo rustica, Stanley Park, British Columbia

Barn swallows, Hirundo rustica, Stanley Park, British Columbia

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Cave Swallow (Petrochelidon fulva poeciloma) two adults, roosting at nest in cellar breeding site

Cave Swallow (Petrochelidon fulva poeciloma) two adults, roosting at nest in cellar breeding site, Marshalls Pen, Jamaica, December

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Preusss Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon preussi) adults, colony at nests under road bridge

Preusss Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon preussi) adults, colony at nests under road bridge, Twifo Proso, Ghana, February

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Common House Martin (Delichon urbica) adult, building mud nest on wall, near Ronda, Andalucia

Common House Martin (Delichon urbica) adult, building mud nest on wall, near Ronda, Andalucia, Spain, May

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Fairy Martin (Petrochelidon ariel) four adults, collecting mud for nesting material, Ormiston Gorge

Fairy Martin (Petrochelidon ariel) four adults, collecting mud for nesting material, Ormiston Gorge, West MacDonnell N.P. West MacDonnell Range, Red Centre, Northern Territory, Australia, September

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Wire-tailed Swallow (Hirundo smithii smithii) adult female, standing on stone bridge, Gambia

Wire-tailed Swallow (Hirundo smithii smithii) adult female, standing on stone bridge, Gambia, December

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Red-rumped Swallow (Cecropis daurica) mud nest on house, Bulgaria, June

Red-rumped Swallow (Cecropis daurica) mud nest on house, Bulgaria, June

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Streak-throated Swallow (Petrochelidon fluvicola) adult, perched on wire, Goa, India, March

Streak-throated Swallow (Petrochelidon fluvicola) adult, perched on wire, Goa, India, March

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: House Martin (Delichon urbica) taking off, flapping its wings, side view

House Martin (Delichon urbica) taking off, flapping its wings, side view

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Zoology: Birds, Red-rumped Swallow (Hirundo daurica), illustration

Zoology: Birds, Red-rumped Swallow (Hirundo daurica), illustration
Zoology - Birds - Passeriformes - Red-rumped Swallow (Hirundo daurica), illustration

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Delichon urbicum, northern house martin

Delichon urbicum, northern house martin
Plate 6 from John Goulds The Birds of Great Britain, Vol. 2 (1873). Hand coloured lithograph

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Riparia riparia, collared sand martin

Riparia riparia, collared sand martin
Plate 7 from John Goulds The Birds of Great Britain, Vol. 2 (1873). Hand coloured lithograph

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Elanoides forficatus, swallow-tailed kite

Elanoides forficatus, swallow-tailed kite
Plate 4, hand coloured etching from The Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama islands (1731-43) Vol. 1 by Mark Catesby

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Aloe succotrina, aloe

Aloe succotrina, aloe
A photograph of one of the decorative ceiling panels from the roof of the Natural History Museums Central Hall. Showing Aloe succotrina with a golden swallow

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Sinospirifer sp. stone swallow (Shih-yen) brachiopods

Sinospirifer sp. stone swallow (Shih-yen) brachiopods
A collection of stone swallow (Shih-yen) brachiopods from the Devonian rocks of China

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Hirundo sp. swallow

Hirundo sp. swallow
A photograph of one of the many animals deaturing in the decorative ceiling panels from the roof of the Natural History Museums Central Hall

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Papilio ajax, black barred swallowtail butterfly

Papilio ajax, black barred swallowtail butterfly
Plate 78 from Natural History of the Coleoptera and Lepidopterous Insects (1804) by John Abbot (1751-1840)

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Riparia riparia, sand martin

Riparia riparia, sand martin
Plate 128 from William MacGillivrays Watercolour drawings of British Animals (1831-1841)

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Petrochelidon pyrrhonota, cliff swallow

Petrochelidon pyrrhonota, cliff swallow
Plate 68 from John James Audubons Birds of America, original double elephant folio (1827-30), hand-coloured aquatint. Engraved, printed and coloured by R. Havell (& Son), London

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Progne subis, purple martin

Progne subis, purple martin

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Elanoides forficatus, American swallow-tailed kite

Elanoides forficatus, American swallow-tailed kite
Plate 72 from John James Audubons Birds of America, original double elephant folio (1827-30), hand-coloured aquatint. Engraved, printed and coloured by R. Havell (& Son), London

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Cecropis daurica, red-rumped swallow

Cecropis daurica, red-rumped swallow
Plate 39, watercolour by Margaret Bushby Lascelles Cockburn from her Neilgherry birds and Miscellaneous, (1858)

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Spiracles & gut from Dermatobia hominis

Spiracles & gut from Dermatobia hominis
Spiracles and gut from botfly larva (Dermatobia hominis) extracted in London. Photographed by Martin Hall

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Eurytides marcellus (Ajax), swallow tailed butterfly

Eurytides marcellus (Ajax), swallow tailed butterfly

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Riparia riparia, Tachycineta thalassina

Riparia riparia, Tachycineta thalassina
Plate 385 from John James Audubons Birds of America, original double elephant folio (1835-38), hand-coloured aquatint. Engraved, printed and coloured by R. Havell (& Son), London

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Delichon urbica, house martin

Delichon urbica, house martin
Watercolour by Henrik Gr� ld (1924-5)

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Rufous-chested Swallow (Cecropis semirufa) adult, perched on twig, Masai Mara, Kenya, August

Rufous-chested Swallow (Cecropis semirufa) adult, perched on twig, Masai Mara, Kenya, August

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Pearl-breasted Swallow (Hirundo dimidiata) adult, perched on barbed wire, Western Cape

Pearl-breasted Swallow (Hirundo dimidiata) adult, perched on barbed wire, Western Cape, South Africa, September

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Barn swallow, Hirundo rustica, northern California

Barn swallow, Hirundo rustica, northern California

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Grey-breasted Martin (Progne chalybea) adult, in flight, Colonia, Uruguay, september

Grey-breasted Martin (Progne chalybea) adult, in flight, Colonia, Uruguay, september

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: South African Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon spilodera) adult, at mud nest in nesting colony under

South African Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon spilodera) adult, at mud nest in nesting colony under bridge, South Africa

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: White-rumped Swallow (Tachycineta leucorrhoa) adult, perched on overhead wire, Haras del Sur

White-rumped Swallow (Tachycineta leucorrhoa) adult, perched on overhead wire, Haras del Sur, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, october

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Brown-chested Martin (Phaeoprogne tapera) adult, perched, Vicente Lopez, Buenos Aires Province

Brown-chested Martin (Phaeoprogne tapera) adult, perched, Vicente Lopez, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, november

Background imageHirundinidae Collection: Greater Striped Swallow on perch. Inhabits grassland and vleis. Breeding endemic to southern Africa

Greater Striped Swallow on perch. Inhabits grassland and vleis. Breeding endemic to southern Africa
ASW-4568 Greater Striped Swallow - on perch Karoo National Park, Western Cape, South Africa. Hirundo cucullata Inhabits grassland and vleis. Breeding endemic to southern Africa. Alan J. S




For sale as Licensed Images

Choose your image, Select your licence and Download the media

"Hirundinidae: The Aerial Acrobats of the Bird World" The Hirundinidae family, commonly known as swallows and martins, encompasses a diverse group of birds that are renowned for their incredible flying abilities. One member of this family is the barn swallow (Hirundo rustica), a species found across continents. In flight, the barn swallow showcases its agility and grace. With wings spread wide, it soars through the air with remarkable speed and precision. Its beak opens wide as it swoops down to catch insects mid-flight, showcasing its impressive hunting skills. These magnificent creatures can be spotted in various locations worldwide. In Portugal, Europe, they gracefully navigate the skies against picturesque landscapes. In South Africa's Grahamstown, they gather on electricity cables before embarking on their long migratory journeys. Other members of the Hirundinidae family include house martins (Delichon urbica) found in Spain during April and Eurasian crag martins (Ptyonoprogne rupestris) dwelling near Kawakarpo Mountain. Nest building is an essential part of these birds' lives. Barn swallows collect mud from ponds to construct their intricate nests while purple martins (Progne subis) perch on rocks in Mexico's Gulf of California Protected Area to establish their homes. Parental care is also paramount among these avian wonders. Barn swallows feed their young in Monmouthshire, Wales during July while tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) engage in aerial disputes over Montana's Madison River come June. The Hirundinidae family truly captivates us with its aerial prowess and captivating behaviors. These agile creatures remind us that there is beauty even in fleeting moments high above us—a testament to nature's boundless wonders.