Hirundinidae

E188618

Hirundinidae is a family of small, agile passerine birds commonly known as swallows and martins, recognized for their streamlined bodies, long pointed wings, and aerial insect-catching behavior.

All labels observed (1)

Label Occurrences
Hirundinidae canonical 3

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (51)

Predicate Object
instanceOf bird family
taxon
class Aves
clutchSize typically 2–7 eggs
commonName swallows and martins
describedBy Nicholas Aylward Vigors
Thomas Horsfield
diet flying insects
distribution all continents except Antarctica
worldwide
ecologicalRole control of aerial insect populations
foragingStrategy catch insects on the wing
hasCharacteristic aerial insectivory
agile flight
long pointed wings
short bill
small body size
streamlined body
strongly forked tail in many species
wide gape
includesGenus Cecropis
Delichon
Hirundo
Progne
Pseudhirundo
Ptyonoprogne
Riparia
Tachycineta
kingdom Animalia
migratoryBehavior many species are long-distance migrants
nestingBehavior build mud nests
nest in cavities
use burrows in banks
order Passeriformes
phylum Chordata
plumage often glossy or iridescent upperparts
often pale or white underparts
relatedTo Muscicapidae
Stenostiridae
sexualDimorphism usually weak
superfamily Hirundoidea
taxonRank family
typeGenus Hirundo
typicalHabitat farmland
grassland
near water bodies
open country
savanna
urban areas
vocalization twittering calls
yearDescribed 1827

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (3)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Passerida includes Hirundinidae
Aves hasSubgroup Hirundinidae
Apodidae distinguishedFrom Hirundinidae