Riparia Forster, 1817 A synoptical catalogue of British birds; intended to identify the species mentioned by different names in several catalogues already extant p.17 Ripariaeuropaea Forster, 1817; Type by monotypy = Hirundoriparia Linnaeus, 1758
808. Sand MartinRiparia riparia (Linnaeus, 1758) Alternative Names: Collared Sand Martin (with R. diluta); Bank Swallow, Common Sand Martin IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Low. WLPA: Schedule-II.
808a. Riparia riparia riparia (Linnaeus, 1758) Original Description:Hirundoriparia Linnaeus, 1758 Systema Naturæ per Regna Tria Naturæ, Secundum Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, cum Characteribus, Differentiis, Synonymis, Locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata 1 p.192 Distribution: Winter: Entire Indian subcontinent including S India (sporadic) and Lakshadweep (once). Notes: No regional specimens definitively attributable to this taxon though there are specimens identified at species level from Delhi, Sadiya (Assam), Dilkush (Cachar), Manipur, and N Bengal. Only ring recoveries can help here. All subcontinent birds are currently attributed to this subspecies with a large breeding range in Palearctic. See Abhinand (2018, Malabar Trogon 15 (3): 26) for a review of its status in S India.
[Riparia riparia ijimae (Lönnberg, 1908) [HB#911]] Original Description:Clivicolaripariaijimae Lönnberg, 1908 The Journal of the College of Science, Imperial University of Tokyo, Japan 23, art. 14 p.38 Distribution: NE India. Specimens: BNHS, NHMUK, UMMZ, YPM Notes: No definitive specimens of this subspecies. Listing in museums tentative and follow their original designation. Presumably breeds in Brahmaputra river (AR2001) but not proven – though this or Pale Martin breeds in the sand banks of Brahmaputra and Ganga.
809. Pale MartinRiparia diluta (Sharpe & Wyatt, 1893) Alternative Names: Pale Sand Martin IUCN: Least Concern. WLPA: Schedule-II.
809a. Riparia diluta diluta (Sharpe & Wyatt, 1893) [HB#910] Original Description:Cotilediluta Sharpe & Wyatt, 1893 A monograph of the Hirundinidæ or family of swallows 1 p.[41],[63] Distribution: Winter: N India. Specimens: BNHS, FMNH Notes: Large flocks of Pale Martins in N India (Thappar & Saggar 2022, IB 18 (1): 16) during winter can only be substantiated by the wintering population; they look nearly identical to the local breeding population.
809b. Riparia diluta indica Ticehurst, 1916 [HB#910] Original Description:Ripariaripariaindica Ticehurst, 1916 Ibis p.70 Taxonomy: Not recognised by AR2001 and included under the nominate subspecies. Distribution: Breeding: Rivers of Indus valley in Jammu and Punjab. Non-breeding: N India (?). Specimens: BNHS, NHMUK, AMNH
809c. Riparia diluta tibetana Stegmann, 1925 [HB#910] Original Description:Ripariaripariatibetana Stegmann, 1925 Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences de l'URSS p.39 Distribution: Winter: Known from Sadiya (Assam), Dilkhush (Cachar), W Khandesh (N Maharashtra), and Sehore (Madhya Pradesh). Possibly the entire N, C, and NE India and south till Maharashtra, Goa, Chhattisgarh, and S W Bengal. Specimens: NHMUK
810. Grey-throated MartinRiparia chinensis (Gray, 1830) Alternative Names: Grey-throated Sand Martin, Asian Plain Martin IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Moderate. WLPA: Schedule-II.
810a. Riparia chinensis chinensis (Gray, 1830) [HB#912] Original Description:Hirundochinensis Gray, 1830 Illustrations of Indian zoology; chiefly selected from the collection of Major-General Hardwicke, F. R. S. 2 pl. 35, fig. 3 Taxonomy: Includes brevicaudata Horsfield 1840 from Assam. Distribution: Entire N Peninsula and NE India – from Jammu, south till N Maharashtra; sporadic in Goa and Karnataka; west till Gujarat, east till Odisha and W Bengal extending further into Brahmaputra plains of Assam and adjoining Arunachal as well as Cachar, Manipur valley, and Tripura. Specimens: BNHS, NHMUK, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, MCZ, ROM, YPM
Ptyonoprogne Reichenbach, 1850 Avium Systema Naturale. Das natürliche System der Vögel mit hundert Tafeln grösstentheils Original-Abbildungen der bis jetzt entdecken fast zwölfhundert typischen Formen. Vorlaüfer einer Iconographie der Arten der Vögel aller Welttheile pl.lxxxvii Hirundorupestris Scopoli, 1769; Type by subsequent monotypy (Parzudaki, 1857, Catalogue des oiseaux d'Europe offerts, en 1856, aux ornithologistes, p.8)
811a. Ptyonoprogne concolor concolor (Sykes, 1832) [HB#914] Original Description:Hirundoconcolor Sykes, 1832 Proceedings of the Committee of Science and Correspondence of the Zoological Society of London Part 2 no.18 p.83 (Dukhun) Distribution: Throughout Indian subcontinent from Himachal and Punjab; west till Gujarat, south till the southern tip of the peninsula, and east till about Bihar, N and E Odisha, and.the western edge of S W Bengal. Type Specimen: NHMUK#1880.1.1.2724 (Syntype). Specimens: BNHS, NHMUK, FMNH, MCZ, USNM, YPM, FTLB
812. Eurasian Crag-MartinPtyonoprogne rupestris (Scopoli, 1769) [HB#913] Original Description:Hirundorupestris Scopoli, 1769 Annus I Historico-naturalis. Descriptiones avium musei proprii earumque rariorum, quas vidit in vivario Augustiss. Imperatorus, et museo excell. Comitis Francisci Annib. Turriani p.167 Alternative Names: Crag Martin Distribution: Breeding: Along the Himalaya from Gilgit, Ladakh, Kashmir, Jammu, Himachal, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal (sporadic). Non-breeding: E Rajasthan, C India (sporadic), E Odisha (historical), Khasi hills (Meghalaya, historical), NW Ghats from Surat Dangs till Goa; sporadic in CW Ghats of Karnataka and during migration, elsewhere in Deccan. Specimens: BNHS, NHMUK, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, YPM IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: High. WLPA: Schedule-II. Notes: Records further south are not evaluated and some of the claims may relate to similar plumaged Dusky Crag-Martins.
Hirundo Linnaeus, 1758 Systema Naturæ per Regna Tria Naturæ, Secundum Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, cum Characteribus, Differentiis, Synonymis, Locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata 1 p.191 Hirundorustica Linnaeus, 1758; Type by subsequent designation (Swainson, 1837, On the natural history and classification of birds, 2, p.340)
813. Hill SwallowHirundo domicola Jerdon, 1841 [HB#919] Original Description:Hirundodomicola Jerdon, 1841 Madras Journal of Literature and Science 13 p.173 (Nilgiri hills, Tamil Nadu) Distribution: W Ghats from Kudremukh south through the Ghats till southern tip in Kalakkad; extending east along the outcrops of Nilgiri, Palani, and Varusanadu hills. Specimens: BNHS, NHMUK, AMNH, FMNH, YPM, TNHM IUCN: Not Recognised. SoIB: Moderate. WLPA: Schedule-II.
814. Pacific SwallowHirundo javanica Sparrman, 1789 Taxonomy: Until recently, treated under H. tahitica Gmelin, 1789. Alternative Names: House Swallow (with H. domicola) IUCN: Least Concern. WLPA: Schedule-II.
814a. Hirundo javanica javanica Sparrman, 1789 [HB#920] Original Description:Hirundojavanica Sparrman, 1789 Museum Carlsonianum, in quo novas et selectas aves, coloribus ad vivum brevique descriptione illustratas (etc.) fasc. 2 pl. 100 Distribution: Narcondam Is., N, Middle, S, and Little Andaman Is. as well as the islets of N Reef, Long, N Button, Henry Lawrence, Havelock, Neil, Ross (Netaji), Boat, and Rutland Is. Specimens: BNHS, NHMUK, YPM
815. Wire-tailed SwallowHirundo smithii Leach, 1818 Original Description:HirundoSmithii Leach, 1818 Narrative of an expedition to explore the river Zaire, usually called the Congo, in South Africa, in 1816, under the direction of Captain J. K. Tuckey (etc.) p.407 IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Low. WLPA: Schedule-II.
815a. Hirundo smithii filifera Stephens, 1826 [HB#921] Original Description:Hirundofilifera Stephens, 1826 General Zoology, or systematic natural history 13 (2) p.78 (Kanpur) Distribution: Throughout the Indian subcontinent from Kashmir, Ladakh, Jammu, and Himachal – west till Gujarat, south till Kanyakumari but sporadic or local in SW coastal plains of C and S Kerala and E coastal plains of Tamil Nadu, Andhra and Odisha; east till S W Bengal and sporadic in N Bengal and Sikkim. Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, NHMUK, RBINS, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, MCZ, ROM, USNM, YPM, TNHM, FTLB
816. Barn SwallowHirundo rustica Linnaeus, 1758 Alternative Names: Common Swallow IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Moderate. WLPA: Schedule-II.
816a. Hirundo rustica rustica Linnaeus, 1758 [HB#916] Original Description:Hirundorustica Linnaeus, 1758 Systema Naturæ per Regna Tria Naturæ, Secundum Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, cum Characteribus, Differentiis, Synonymis, Locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata 1 p.191 Distribution: Breeding: Gilgit, Ladakh, Kashmir, Jammu, Himachal, and Uttarakhand. Winter: Entire subcontinent except E India. Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, NHMUK, UMMZ, FMNH, ROM, USNM, YPM Notes: Though no migration studies has been conducted, at-sea movement in Arabian sea during October indicate that extralimital W breeders also winter in India. Birds also over-summer in their winter range in the peninsula.
816b. Hirundo rustica gutturalis Scopoli, 1786 [HB#917] Original Description:Hirundogutturalis Scopoli, 1786 Deliciae Florae et Faunae Insubricae fasc. 2 p.96 Taxonomy: Includes ambigua Stresemann 1940 from Gangtok (ZMB#39.843), Sikkim. Distribution: Breeding: N Bengal, Sikkim and Arunachal. Winter: Entire NE India as well as in Peninsula till the southern tip; also reported from Lakshadweep, Andaman & Nicobar Is. Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, NHMUK, ZMB, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, USNM, YPM, TNHM, HYD
816c. Hirundo rustica tytleri Jerdon, 1864 [HB#918] Original Description:HirundoTytleri Jerdon, 1864 The birds of India; being a natural history of all the birds known to inhabit continental India: with descriptions of the species, genera, families, tribes, and orders, and a brief notice of such families as are not found in India, making it a manual of ornithology specially adapted for India 3 ("2 pt2") p.870 Distribution: Winter: NE India and sometimes in S W Bengal; sporadic elsewhere in the peninsula. Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, NHMUK, UMMZ, FMNH, YPM Notes: See Singh & Antaal (2025, IB 21 (3): 115).
Delichon Moore, 1854 A catalogue of the birds in The Museum of the Hononrable East-India Company 1 p.384 Delichonnipalense F. Moore, 1854; Type by monotypy
817. Northern House-MartinDelichon urbicum (Linnaeus, 1758) Original Description:Hirundourbica Linnaeus, 1758 Systema Naturæ per Regna Tria Naturæ, Secundum Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, cum Characteribus, Differentiis, Synonymis, Locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata 1 p.192 Taxonomy: Formerly, all specimens labelled as the nominate subspecies, which now is considered extralimital, wintering only in Africa (H&M4). Alternative Names: Common House Martin, European House Martin, Western House Martin IUCN: Least Concern. WLPA: Schedule-II.
817a. Delichon urbicum meridionale (Hartert, 1910) [HB#930] Original Description:Hirundourbicameridionalis Hartert, 1910 Die Vögel der paläarktischen Fauna. Systematische Übersicht der in Europa, Nord-Asien und der Mittelmeerregion vorkommenden Vögel Band I Heft VI p.809 Distribution: Breeding: Gilgit, Ladakh, Kashmir, and Himachal. Non-breeding: Throughout the country with reports from Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, W Bengal, N Maharashtra, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, along the W Ghats from N Maharashtra through Karnataka till Kerala and SW Tamil Nadu; also, in SE Ghats in S Karnataka and N Tamil Nadu. Specimens: NHMUK, FMNH Notes: Reports from Lakshadweep not evaluated.
818a. Delichon nipalense nipalense Moore, 1854 [HB#932] Original Description:Delichonnipalensis Moore, 1854 A catalogue of the birds in The Museum of the Hononrable East-India Company 1 p.384 Distribution: Himachal (sporadic), Punjab, Uttarakhand, N Bengal, and Sikkim. Specimens: NHMUK, UMMZ, FMNH, MCZ, YPM
818b. Delichon nipalense cuttingi Mayr, 1941 [HB#932] Original Description:Delichonnipalensiscuttingi Mayr, 1941 Ibis (14) 5 (3) p.365 Taxonomy: Includes bartletti Koelz 1952 from Mizoram. Distribution: Arunachal, Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Cachar, Manipur, and Mizoram. Specimens: NHMUK, UMMZ Notes: Exact limits of this subspecies unclear; Sikkim and N Bengal birds tentatively assigned to the nominate subspecies and Arunachal birds to this subspecies.
819. Siberian House-MartinDelichon lagopodum (Pallas, 1811) Original Description:HirundoLagopoda Pallas, 1811 Zoographia Rosso-Asiatica, sistens omnium animalium in extenso Imperio Rossico (etc.) 2 p.532 Alternative Names: Eastern House Martin Distribution: Vagrant. Reported only from Mipi (Arunachal). IUCN: Least Concern. WLPA: Schedule-II. Notes: See Sangha & Naoroji (2006, IB 5 (1): 27), Leader et al. (2021, British Birds 114: 92).
820. Asian House-MartinDelichon dasypus (Bonaparte, 1850) Original Description:Chelidondasypus Bonaparte, 1850 Conspectus generum avium 1 p.343 IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Moderate. WLPA: Schedule-II.
820a. Delichon dasypus cashmeriense (Gould, 1858) [HB#931] Original Description:ChelidonCashmiriensis Gould, 1858 Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London Part 26 p.356 (Kashmir) Distribution: Along the Himalaya from Gilgit, Ladakh, Kashmir, Jammu, Himachal, Uttarakhand, N Bengal, Sikkim, Arunachal, Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Manipur, and Mizoram. Stragglers to EC India, NE Andhra and hills of Kodagu in W Ghats. Type Specimen: NHMUK#1881.5.1.5942 (Syntype). Specimens: BNHS, NHMUK, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH
Cecropis Boie, 1826 Isis 19 Heft10 col.971 Hirundocapensis Gmelin, 1789; Type by subsequent designation (Salvadori, 1881, Ornitologia della Papuasia e delle Molucche, 2, p.1) = Hirundocucullata Boddaert, 1783
821. European Red-rumped SwallowCecropis rufula (Temminck, 1835) [HB#924] Original Description:Hirundorufula Temminck, 1835 Manuel d'ornithologie, ou tableau systématique des oiseaux qui se trouvent en Europe (etc.) ed.2, part 3 p.298 Taxonomy: Species recently split from C. daurica. Includes scullii Seebohm 1883 from Gilgit. Distribution: Summer: Gilgit, Ladakh, and Kashmir. Specimens: NHMUK, USNM IUCN: Not Recognised. WLPA: Schedule-II. Notes: Winters extralimitally in Africa but birds may be using the subcontinent during migration.
822. Eastern Red-rumped SwallowCecropis daurica (Laxmann, 1769) Alternative Names: Red-rumped Swallow (with C. rufula); Striated Swallow C. d. striolata IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Low. WLPA: Schedule-II.
822a. Cecropis daurica daurica (Laxmann, 1769) [HB#923] Original Description:Hirundodaurica Laxmann, 1769 Mantissa plantarum altera generum editionis VI et specierum editionis II p.528 Taxonomy: Includes substriolata Hume 1877 from Cachar (Holotype: NHMUK#1887.2.1.880). Distribution: Winter: NE India. Specimens: NHMUK Notes: Included here basis RA2012. Specimens in NHMUK from 'Assam' and 'Bengal'. Trays not inspected.
822b. Cecropis daurica japonica (Temminck & Schlegel, 1845) [HB#926] Original Description:Hirundoalpestrisjaponica Temminck & Schlegel, 1845 Fauna Japonica sive descriptio animalium, quae in itinere per Japoniam, jussu et auspiciis superiorum, qui summum in India Batava imperium tenent, suscepto, annis 1825-1830 collegit, notis, observationibus et adumbrationibus illustravit. Vol. 4. Aves p.33, pl.11 Distribution: Winter: NE India, Andaman & Nicobar Is. Specimens: BNHS, NHMUK, FMNH Notes: Several specimens from west of NE India need re-examination. Andaman & Nicobar birds tentatively parked here and photographs of heavily streaked swallows likely to be this subspecies.
822c. Cecropis daurica nipalensis (Hodgson, 1837) [HB#925] Original Description:HirundoNipalensis Hodgson, 1837 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 5, N° 60 p.780-781 Distribution: Summer: Himachal, Uttarakhand, adjoining plains as well as in N Bengal and Sikkim. Winter: Entire peninsula till Gujarat in the W and Kerala in the south. Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, NHMUK, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, MCZ, YPM, BNHM Notes: No peak summer records in Arunachal.
822d. Cecropis daurica erythropygia (Sykes, 1832) [HB#927] Original Description:Hirundoerythropygia Sykes, 1832 Proceedings of the Committee of Science and Correspondence of the Zoological Society of London Part 2 p.83 (Pune, Maharashtra) Distribution: South of the Himalayan foothills from Punjab, Haryana, and Jammu region; south till Kerala and Tamil Nadu; west till Gujarat and in the east extending sporadically through the plains of Brahmaputra in Assam. Type Specimen: NHMUK#1880.1.1.4436 (Syntype). Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, NHMUK, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, MCZ, YPM Notes: Local movements need mapping.
822e. Cecropis daurica mayri (Hall, 1953) [HB#929] Original Description:Hirundostriolatamayri Hall, 1953 Ibis 95 (3) p.547 Taxonomy: In taxonomies where Striolated Swallow C. striolata (Schlegel, 1844) is recognised as a species (e.g., RA 2012), this taxon is treated as a subspecies of Striolated Swallow. Includes khasica Koelz 1954 from Boko, Assam. Distribution: C and E Assam, E Arunachal as well as all NE hill states. Specimens: BNHS, UMMZ, FMNH Notes: Range confounded with C. d. japonica. Claims from Andamans not evaluated here.
Petrochelidon Cabanis, 1851 Museum Heineanum. Verzeichniss der orithologischen Sammlung des Oberamtmann Ferdinand Heine 1 p.47 Hirundomelanogaster Swainson, 1827; Type by subsequent designation (Gray, 1855, Catalogue of the genera and subgenera of birds contained in the British Museum, p.13) = Hirundopyrrhonota Vieillot, 1817
823. Streak-throated SwallowPetrochelidon fluvicola (Blyth, 1855) [HB#922] Original Description:Hirundofluvicola Blyth, 1855 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 24 p.471 (Bundelkund) Taxonomy: Type specimen lost (Sclater 1892, Ibis 34 (1): 73). Alternative Names: Indian Cliff Swallow Distribution: Throughout the subcontinent from Kashmir, Jammu, south till the southern tip of the peninsula; west till Gujarat and east till S W Bengal; sporadic in N Bengal and Assam. Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, NHMUK, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, YPM IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Low. WLPA: Schedule-II. Notes: Local movements not completely worked out.
