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North AmericaSand martin
Riparia riparia
The Sand martin (Riparia riparia) is a bird found in United States, Canada, Spain, United Kingdom, Sweden, Netherlands, and 4 more countries. Riverbanks and sandy cliffs across the Northern Hemisphere. It eats insects and other small invertebrates. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
See the Sand martin on the 3D globe →| Scientific name | Riparia riparia |
|---|---|
| Region | North America |
| Found in | United States, Canada, Spain, United Kingdom, Sweden, Netherlands, and 4 more countries |
🏡 Where the Sand martin lives
Riverbanks and sandy cliffs across the Northern Hemisphere.
🍽️ What it eats
- 🐛 Insects & bugs100%
A rough guide to its diet over a year. Source: EltonTraits (Wilman et al. 2014).
Conservation status
Hear the Sand martin
Recorded by Andrew Spencer (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0), xeno-canto XC181785. Trimmed to a few seconds.
Questions about the Sand martin
Where does the Sand martin live?
The Sand martin lives in United States, Canada, Spain, United Kingdom, Sweden, Netherlands, and 4 more countries. Riverbanks and sandy cliffs across the Northern Hemisphere.
What does the Sand martin eat?
insects and other small invertebrates (about 100%). These are rough shares of its diet over a year, from the EltonTraits database.
Is the Sand martin endangered?
There are plenty of these birds. Its IUCN Red List category is Least Concern.
More birds from North America
Sources: IUCN Red List (via Wikidata), EltonTraits 1.0 (Wilman et al. 2014), GBIF sightings for countries, Wikipedia. Last updated 2026-10-19.