Bank Swallow
Bank SwallowBank SwallowBank Swallow

Bank Swallow

Riparia riparia

Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Valencia, Spain

In 3 days <5% in a week ~10%

22 Verified sightings at Valencia, Spain
9,851 In all 122 parks From 2019 to 2026
September Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Bank Swallow

The sand martin (Riparia riparia), also known as the collared sand martin or common sand martin, and in the Americas as the bank swallow, is a migratory passerine bird in the swallow family Hirundinidae. It has a wide range in summer, embracing practically the whole Holarctic area, from Europe, across Asia to the Pacific Ocean, and throughout North America. It winters in eastern and southern Africa, southern Asia, and South America.

This species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae, and originally named Hirundo riparia; the description consisted of the simple "H[irundo] cinerea, gula abdomineque albis" ("an ash-grey swallow, with white throat and belly") and the type locality was simply given as "Europa", subsequently refined to refer to Linnaeus's homeland of Sweden. The specific name means "of the riverbank"; it is derived from the Latin ripa "riverbank".

There are three or four weakly defined subspecies: Breeds Europe, western Asia, North America; winters Africa, South America. Wikipedia →

Sounds

Call0:36

Sweden · 2025

© Ulf Elman · XC1001819 · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Begging call0:39

United Kingdom · 1999

© Simon Elliott · XC595217 · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Flight call0:13

Sweden · 2020

© Lars Edenius · XC568072 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Isla del Coco National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~20%
2 Kiskunság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
~20%
3 Cairngorms National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~20%
4 Hortobágy National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
~20%
5 Biebrza National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
~20%
6 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
7 Camargue 🇫🇷 France
~10%
8 Doñana National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~10%
9 Awash National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
~10%
10 Fertő-Hanság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
~10%
11 Snowdonia National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~10%
12 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
13 Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
14 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
~10%
15 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
16 Cahuita National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
17 Monfragüe National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~10%
18 Amacayacu National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
~10%
19 Katmai National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
20 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
21 Niokolo-Koba National Park 🇸🇳 Senegal
~10%
22 Kluane National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
23 Bastimentos Island National Marine Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
24 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
25 Lake Mburo National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
26 Kibale National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
27 Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
28 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
29 Iberá National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
<5%
30 San Lorenzo Protected Forest 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
31 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
32 Yellowstone National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
33 Soberanía National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
34 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
<5%
35 Palo Verde National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
36 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
37 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
38 Yala National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
<5%
39 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
40 Celestún Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
41 Gros Morne National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
42 Badlands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
43 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
44 Biotopo Cerro Cahuí 🇬🇹 Guatemala
<5%
45 Pyrénées National Park 🇫🇷 France
<5%
46 Sierra Nevada National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
<5%
47 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
48 Banff National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
49 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
50 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
51 Grand Teton National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
52 Padre Island National Seashore 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
53 Denali National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
54 Lago de Yojoa 🇭🇳 Honduras
<5%
55 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
<5%
56 Bavarian Forest National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
<5%
57 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
<5%
58 Death Valley National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
59 uMkhuze Game Reserve 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
60 Białowieża National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
<5%
61 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
62 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
63 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
64 Península Valdés 🇦🇷 Argentina
<5%
65 Jasper National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
66 Henri Pittier National Park 🇻🇪 Venezuela
<5%
67 Namdapha National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
68 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
69 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
70 Aberdare National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
71 Caroni Swamp 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago
<5%
72 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
<5%
73 Glacier National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
74 Kaziranga National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
75 Chapada dos Guimarães National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
76 Semuliki National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
77 Cat Tien National Park 🇻🇳 Vietnam
<5%
78 Elk Island National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
79 Big Bend National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
80 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
81 Sierra de la Macarena National Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
82 Carara National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
83 Las Baulas Marine National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
84 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
85 Parque Natural Metropolitano 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
86 Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
87 Tayrona National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
88 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
89 Lauca National Park 🇨🇱 Chile
<5%
90 Yasuní National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
<5%
91 Gauja National Park 🇱🇻 Latvia
<5%
92 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
93 Bwindi Impenetrable National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
94 Rincón de la Vieja National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
95 Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
96 Sierra de Guadarrama National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
<5%
97 Kaeng Krachan National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
<5%
98 Big Cypress National Preserve 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
99 Manas National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
100 Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
101 Khao Yai National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
<5%
102 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
103 Piedras Blancas National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
104 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
105 Arenal Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
106 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
<5%
107 Chagres National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
108 Masaya Volcano National Park 🇳🇮 Nicaragua
<5%
109 Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
110 Tenorio Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
111 Saguaro National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
112 Tambopata National Reserve 🇵🇪 Peru
<5%
113 Manu National Park 🇵🇪 Peru
<5%
114 Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
115 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
116 Poás Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
117 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
118 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
119 Rocky Mountain National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
120 Iguazú National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
<5%
121 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
122 Los Quetzales National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Manchester 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~20%
2 Chicago 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
3 London 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~10%
4 Liverpool 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~10%
5 Calgary 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
6 Porto 🇵🇹 Portugal
~10%
7 Riyadh 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
~10%
8 N'Djamena 🇹🇩 Chad
~10%
9 Dublin 🇮🇪 Ireland
~10%
10 Leeds 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~10%

Closest Relatives at Valencia, Spain

Barn Swallow
LC

Barn Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hirundo rustica

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
House Martin
LC

House Martin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Delichon urbicum

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Eurasian Crag Martin
LC

Eurasian Crag Martin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ptyonoprogne rupestris

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
House Sparrow
LC

House Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Passer domesticus

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely
Eurasian Blackbird
LC

Eurasian Blackbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdus merula

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely
Eurasian Magpie
LC

Eurasian Magpie

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pica pica

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
Spotless Starling
LC

Spotless Starling

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Sturnus unicolor

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
European Serin
LC

European Serin

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Serinus serinus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Great Tit
LC

Great Tit

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Parus major

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
White Wagtail
LC

White Wagtail

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Motacilla alba

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
European Robin
LC

European Robin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Erithacus rubecula

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Eurasian Goldfinch
LC

Eurasian Goldfinch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Carduelis carduelis

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Bank Swallow in Valencia, Spain?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Bank Swallow sighting in Valencia, Spain on a given day, based on 22 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 92nd most-seen of the 129 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, and over a week to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Bank Swallow in Valencia, Spain?

September

In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Bank Swallow in Valencia, Spain on a given day, against under 5% in October to August, the lowest months. That is one of Valencia, Spain's wettest months, with about 50 mm of rain against 10 mm in July.

What time of day is best to see a Bank Swallow?

Between 11 am and 2 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Bank Swallow sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Valencia, Spain the best place to see a Bank Swallow?

57th of 106

Of the 106 cities where we can rate Bank Swallow sightings, Valencia, Spain ranks 57th at under 5%. The best odds are in Manchester (United Kingdom, about 20%), Chicago (United States, about 10%) and London (United Kingdom, about 10%).

Which relatives of the Bank Swallow live in Valencia, Spain?

Same family: Hirundinidae

The closest relatives of the Bank Swallow that you can see in Valencia, Spain (family Hirundinidae, Swallows and Martins) are Barn Swallow (about 30%), House Martin (about 20%) and Eurasian Crag Martin (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Bank Swallow sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Bank Swallow is recorded against all the birds logged in Valencia, Spain (22 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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