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Hirundinidae
วงศ์นกนางแอ่น
woŋ nók naaŋ-àeen

Họ Nhạn

燕科
yàn kē

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yàn kē

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tsubame ka

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General

Information is from dictionaries and other sources. Comments and corrections welcome. Hover over Green Lettering Green lettering at this site hides a tool tip with glosses, further explanations, etc. Hover cursor to reveal. to see additional information.

Thai แอ่น àeen is an old areal bird name akin to to the modern Chinese yàn and Vietnamese én. Although it is often defined conveniently as 'swallow', it actually means 'swallow; any of various swallow-like birds'.

In modern Thai แอ่น àeen has been used as the base for the formation of bird names in several different families of birds of simllar appearance, principally the Hirundinidae (swallows) and Apodidae (swifts), but also including the Hemiprocnidae (treeswifts), Glareolidae (pratincoles), and Artamidae (woodswallows) -- all of which remain แอ่น àeen in the traditional classification.

To the careful observer it has always been evident that there were many identifiable kinds of แอ่น àeen and additional modifiers were used to specify these different types as needed. Some of these variations have subsequently been codified into the scientific nomenclature, especially after ornithologists demonstrated that the แอ่น àeen were not biologically closely related and that their resemblances were due to convergent evolution. This has resulted in a proliferation of bird names with precisely limited meanings. However, at the time these names were regularised (and for non-specialists even today) a strict lexical separation of 'swallow', 'swift', and the other similar species was an artificial and somewhat alien construct. Indeed, other variations on แอ่น àeen survive as colloquial, regional, or literary terms, but were not used to form ornithological scientific names. Some of these variations include formative elements which no longer convey any additional meaning of their own, but which are used in several other wildlife names (not just birds). Those recorded here with แอ่น àeen include นาง- naaŋ- and อี- ii-.

For scientific terminology, since แอ่น àeen alone could be ambiguous, two more complex terms based on แอ่น àeen were selected to represent the early ornithological separation of the two principal kinds of แอ่น àeen:

นกนางแอ่น nók naaŋ-àeen 'swallow' (lit. 'naaŋ-swallow-bird')

วงศ์นกนางแอ่น woŋ nók-naaŋ-àeen 'Hirundinidae; swallow family'

นกแอ่นบินเร็ว nók àeen-bin-rew 'swift' (lit. 'fly-fast swallow-bird')

งศ์นกแอ่นบินเร็ว woŋ nók-àeen-bin-rew 'Apodidae; swift family' (classical taxonomic naming)

In arriving at ornithological common names for genera and species within the Hirundinidae, names were chosen which began with นกนางแอ่น nók naaŋ-àeen 'swallow' (see below). However, for the Apodidae, a shorter base form, นกแอ่น nók àeen, was used instead. Etymologically, นกแอ่น nók àeen could be expected to mean 'swallow', but with นกนางแอ่น nók naaŋ-àeen gaining acceptance as the proper word for 'swallow', นกแอ่น nók àeen in turn became restricted only to 'swift'. When taxonomic revisions based on molecular biology were presented, a new version of the Apodidae family name was used which reflects this polarising semantic shift:

งศ์นกแอ่น woŋ nók-àeen 'Apodidae; swift family' (revised modern taxonomic naming)

These developments have obscured the etymologies of other names formed on แอ่น àeen for birds in the other families. It is probable that แอ่น àeen in นกแอ่นฟ้า nók àeen fáa 'regal (=sky)-swift' (=treeswift) was intended to mean something more like 'swift' than 'swallow'. However, แอ่น àeen in นกแอ่นทุ่ง nók àeen tʰûŋ 'field-swallow' (=pratincole), used in the family name of the Glareolidae; and นกแอ่นพง nók àeen pʰoŋ 'thicket-swallow' (=woodswallow), used in the family name of the Artamidae, clearly refer back to the original wider, primarily 'swallow', meaning of แอ่น àeen and not to the currently limited meaning 'swift'.

The original core meaning of แอ่น àeen as 'swallow' is also preserved in traditonal names such as:

แอ่น àeen 'swallow'

อีแอ่น ii-àeen 'swallow' (lit. 'ii-swallow')

นกอีแอ่น nók ii-àeen 'swallow' (lit. 'ii-swallow-bird')

แอ่นลม àeen lom 'swallow' (lit. 'wind-swallow')

The following are the ornithological scientific classificatory names based on แอ่น àeen in current use as general names for the families and genera:

(Apodidae)

งศ์นกแอ่นบินเร็ว woŋ nók-àeen-bin-rew 'swift family' Apodidae (classical)

งศ์นกแอ่น woŋ nók-àeen 'swift family' Apodidae (modern)

นกแอ่น nók àeen 'swift' Apus swifts; Aerodramus (and Collocalia) swiftlets

นกแอ่นใหญ่ nók àeen yày 'large-swift' Hirundapus needletail swifts

นกแอ่นเล็ก nók àeen lék 'small-swift' Rhaphidura spinetail swifts

นกแอ่ตาล nók àeen taan 'palm-swift' Cypsiurus palm swifts

นกแอ่นฟ้า nók àeen fáa 'regal(=sky)-swift' Hemiprocne treeswifts

(Glareolidae)

วงศ์นกแอ่นทุ่ง woŋ nók-àeen-tʰûŋ 'pratincole family' Glareolidae

นกแอ่นทุ่ง nók àeen-tʰûŋ 'field-swallow-bird' Glareola pratincoles

(Artamidae)

วงศ์นกแอ่นพง woŋ nók-àeen-pʰoŋ 'woodswallow family' Artamidae

นกแอ่นพง nók àeen-pʰoŋ 'thicket-swallow-bird' Artamus woodswallows

(Hirundinidae)

วงศ์นกนางแอ่น woŋ nók-naaŋ-àeen 'swallow family' Hirundinidae

นกนางแอ่น nók naaŋ-àeen 'swallow' Hirundo (and Cecropsis) swallows

นกนางแอ่นทราย nók naaŋ-àeen saay 'sand-swallow' Riparia sand martins

นกนางแอ่นผา nók naaŋ-àeen pʰăa 'cliff-swallow' Ptyonoprogne crag martins

นกนางแอ่นมาติน nók naaŋ-àeen maa-tin 'martin-swallow' Delichon (house) martins)

Species names

› ABOUT THIS TABLE‹
PSEUDOCHELIDONINAE
SCIENTIFIC & ENGLISH
THAI
OTHER S. E. ASIAN
EAST ASIAN
Pseudochelidon
Latin
English
Thai
Other Th
Malaysian
Indonesian
Vietnamese
Chinese
Japanese
Pseudochelidon sirintarae White-eyed river martin
White-eyed river-martin
นกเจ้าฟ้าหญิงสิรินธร
nók câw-fáa-yĭŋ sí-rin-tʰoaan
'Princess Sirindhorn's bird'
        白眼河燕
(白眼河燕)
bái-yǎn hé-yàn
'white-eyed river swallow'
アジアカワツバメ
(アジア川燕)
ajia kawa- tsubame
'Asian river swallow'
 
HIRUNDININAE
SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN
THAI
OTHER S. E. ASIAN
EAST ASIAN
Delichon
Latin
English
Thai
Other Th
Malaysian
Indonesian
Vietnamese
Chinese
Japanese
Delichon urbicum
Delichon urbica
link to photo
Northern house martin
Northern house-martin
Common house martin
House martin
นกนางแอ่นมาตินพันธุ์ไซบีเรีย
nók naaŋ-àeen maa-tin pʰan say-bii-ria
'Siberian species martin-swallow (bird)' (maa-tin from English 'martin')
นกนางแอ่นมาร์ตินพันธุ์ไซบีเรีย
nók naaŋ-àeen maa-tin pʰan say-bii-ria
'Siberian species martin-swallow (bird)' (maa-tin from English 'martin') (21)
    Chim Nhạn hông trắng Xibêri
'Siberian white-rumped swallow (bird)' (12, 34)
毛脚燕
(毛腳燕)
máo-jiǎo-yàn
'hair-leg swallow'
or
白腹毛脚燕
(白腹毛腳燕)
bái-fù máo-jiǎo-yàn
'white-breasted hair-legged swallow' (alt in 1)
ニシイワツバメ
(西岩燕)
nishi iwa-tsubame
'Western rock-swallow'
Delichon dasypus
link to photo
Asian house martin
Asian house-martin
นกนางแอ่นมาตินพันธุ์เอเซียใต้
nók naaŋ-àeen maa-tin pʰan ee-sia-tây
'South Asian species martin-swallow (bird)' (maa-tin from English 'martin')
นกนางแอ่นมาร์ตินพันธุ์เอเซียใต้
nók naaŋ-àeen maa-tin pʰan ee-sia-tây
'South Asian species martin-swallow (bird)' (maa-tin from English 'martin') (21)
Burung Layang-Layang Belakang Putih
'white-backed swallow (bird)' (26)
Burung Layang-Layang Bukit
'hill swallow (bird)' (27)
Burung Martin Asia
'Asian martin (bird)' (martin from English) (24)
Burung Layang-layang Rumah
'house swallow (bird)'
(Conflicts with Malaysian name for Apus nipalensis
Chim Nhạn hông trắng Á châu
'Asian white-rumped swallow (bird)' (12, 13)
烟腹毛脚燕
(煙腹毛腳燕)
yān-fù máo-jiǎo-yàn
'smoky-bellied hair-legged swallow'
Taiwan:
(東方毛腳燕)
東方毛腳燕
dōngfāng máo-jiǎo-yàn
'eastern hair-legged swallow'
イワツバメ
(岩燕)
iwa-tsubame
'rock-swallow'
Delichon nipalense
Delichon nipalensis
link to photo
Nepal house martin
Nepal house-martin
นกนางแอ่นมาตินพันธุ์เนปาล
nók naaŋ-àeen maa-tin pʰan nee-paan
'Nepalese species martin-swallow (bird)' (maa-tin from English 'martin')
นกนางแอ่นมาร์ตินพันธุ์เนปาล
nók naaŋ-àeen maa-tin pʰan nee-paan
'Nepalese species martin-swallow (bird)' (maa-tin from English 'martin') (21)
    Chim Nhạn hông trắng Nêpan
'Nepalese white-rumped swallow (bird)' (12, 34)
黑喉毛脚燕
(黑喉毛腳燕)
hēi-hóu máo-jiǎo-yàn
'black-throated hair-legged swallow'
ノドグロイワツバメ
(喉黒岩燕)
nodo-guro iwa-tsubame
'black-throated rock-swallow'
Cecropis
Latin
English
Thai
Other Th
Malaysian
Indonesian
Vietnamese
Chinese
Japanese
Cecropis daurica
Hirundo daurica
link to photo
Red-rumped swallow
Golden-rumped swallow
นกนางแอ่นตะโพกแดง
nók naaŋ-àeen tà-pʰôok-daeeŋ
'red-rumped swallow (bird)'
  Burung Layang-Layang Api
'fire swallow (bird)' (26)
(Conflicts with Indonesian name for Hirundo rustica)
Burung Layang-Layang Ekor Hitam
'black-tailed swallow (bird)' (27)
Burung Sualo Gua
'cave swallow (bird)' (sualo from English 'swallow') (24)
Burung Layang-layang Gua
'cave swallow (bird)' (Conflicts with Malaysian name for Aerodramus fuciphagus)
Hirundo daurica:
Chim Nhạn bụng xám
'grey-bellied swallow (bird)' (12, 13)
金腰燕
(金腰燕)
jīn-yāo yàn
'gold-rumped swallow'
Taiwan:
(金腰燕)
金腰燕
jīn-yāo yàn
'gold-rumped swallow'
コシアカツバメ
(腰赤燕)
koshi-aka tsubame
'red-rumped swallow'
Cecropis striolata
Hirundo striolata
link to photo
Striated swallow
Greater striated swallow
นกนางแอ่นลาย
nók naaŋ-àeen laay
'striped swallow (bird)'
  Burung Layang-Layang Batu
'rock-swallow (bird)' (27)
(Conflicts with Indonesian name for Hirundo tahitica)
Burung Layang-layang Loreng
'barred swallow (bird)'
Hirundo striolata:
Chim Nhạn bụng vằn
'stripe-bellied swallow (bird)' (12)
斑腰燕
(斑腰燕)
bān-yāo yàn
'stripe-rumped swallow'
Taiwan:
(赤腰燕)
赤腰燕
chì-yāo yàn
'red-rumped swallow'
オオコシアカツバメ
(大腰赤燕)
ō koshi-aka tsubame
'large red-rumped swallow'
Cecropis badia Rufous-bellied swallow นกนางแอ่นท้องแดง
nók naaŋ-àeen tʰóaaŋ-daeeŋ
'red-bellied swallow (bird)'
      Chim Nhạn bụng hung
'reddish-bellied swallow (bird)' (34)
   
Hirundo
Latin
English
Thai
Other Th
Malaysian
Indonesian
Vietnamese
Chinese
Japanese
Hirundo tahitica
link to photo
Pacific swallow นกนางแอ่นแปซิฟิค
nók naaŋ-àeen paee-sí-fík
'Pacific swallow (bird)'
  Burung Layang-Layang Pasifik
'Pacific swallow (bird)' (26, 27)
Burung Sualo Batu
'rock-swallow (bird)' (sualo from English 'swallow') (24)
Burung Layang-layang Batu
'rock-swallow (bird)'
(Conflicts with Malaysian name for Cecropis striolata)
Chim Nhạn đuôi đen
'black-tailed swallow (bird)' (12, 34)
洋燕
(洋燕)
yáng yàn
'ocean swallow' (2, 4, 5)
洋斑燕
(洋斑燕)
yáng bān yàn
'ocean striped swallow' (alt in 1, 3)
Taiwan:
(洋燕)
洋燕
yáng yàn
'ocean swallow'
リュウキュウツバメ
(琉球燕)
ryūkyū tsubame
'Ryukyu swallow'
Hirundo smithii
link to photo
Wire-tailed swallow นกนางแอ่นหางลวด
nók naaŋ-àeen hăaŋ-lûat
'wire-tailed swallow (bird)'
      Chim Nhạn đầu hung
'reddish-headed swallow (bird)' (12, 34)
线尾燕
(線尾燕)
xiàn-wěi yàn
'wire-tailed swallow'
ハリオツバメ
(針尾燕)
hari-o tsubame
'wire-tailed swallow'
Hirundo rustica
link to photo
Barn swallow
House swallow
Swallow
นกนางแอ่นบ้าน
nók naaŋ-àeen bâan
'house swallow (bird)'
  Burung Layang-Layang Hijrah
'emigrating swallow (bird)' (26)
Burung Layang-Layang Pekan
'market swallow (bird)' (27)
Burung Sualo Api
'fire swallow (bird)' (sualo from English 'swallow') (24)
Burung Layang-layang Api
'fire swallow (bird)'
(Conflicts with Malaysian name for Cecropis daurica)
Chim Nhạn bụng trắng
'white-bellied swallow (bird)' (12, 13, 34)
家燕
(家燕)
jiā-yàn
'house swallow'
Taiwan:
(家燕)
家燕
jiā-yàn
'house swallow'
ツバメ
()
tsubame
'swallow'
Ptyonoprogne
Latin
English
Thai
Other Th
Malaysian
Indonesian
Vietnamese
Chinese
Japanese
Ptyonoprogne concolor
Hirundo concolor
link to photo
Dusky crag martin
Dusky crag-martin
Dusky crag swallow
นกนางแอ่นผาสีคล้ำ
nók naaŋ-àeen pʰăa sĭi-kʰlám
'dark cliff-swallow (bird)'
  Burung Layang-Layang Kelabu
'grey swallow (bird)' (26)
Burung Layang-layang Tubir
'ravine swallow (bird)' (27)
  Hirundo concolor:
Chim Nhạn nâu hung
'reddish brown swallow (bird)' (12)
纯色岩燕
(純色岩燕)
chún-sè yán-yàn
'pure-coloured rock-swallow'
インドチャイロツバメ
(インド茶色燕)
indo cha-iro tsubame
'Indian brown swallow'
Riparia
Latin
English
Thai
Other Th
Malaysian
Indonesian
Vietnamese
Chinese
Japanese
Riparia paludicola Plain martin
Brown-throated sand martin
African sand martin
นกนางแอ่นทรายสีน้ำตาล
nók naaŋ-àeen saay sĭi-nám-taan
'brown sand-swallow (bird)'
      Chim Nhạn nâu đỏ
'red-brown swallow (bird)' (12)
褐喉沙燕
(褐喉沙燕)
hè-hóu shā-yàn
'brown throated sand-swallow'
Taiwan:
(棕沙燕)
棕沙燕
zōng shā-yàn
'reddishbrown sand-swallow'
タイワンショウドウツバメ
(台湾小洞燕)
taiwan shōdō tsubame
'Taiwan small hole swallow'
Riparia riparia
link to photo
Sand martin
or
Bank swallow
Collared sand martin
นกนางแอ่นทรายสร้อยคอดำ
nók naaŋ-àeen saay sôaay-kʰoaa-dam
'black-necklaced sand-swallow (bird)'
  Burung Layang-layang Awan
'cloud swallow (bird)' (26, 27)
Burung Martin Awan
'cloud martin (bird)' (martin from English) (24)
Burung Layang-layang Pasir
'sand-swallow (bird)'
Chim Nhạn nâu xám
'grey brown swallow (bird)' (12, 34)
崖沙燕
(崖沙燕)
yá shā-yàn
'cliff sand-swallow'
Taiwan:
(灰沙燕)
灰沙燕
huī shā-yàn
'grey sand-swallow'
ショウドウツバメ
(小洞燕)
shōdō tsubame
'small hole swallow'

中国鸟类种和亚种分类名录大全(修订版) 郑作新 著 科学出版社 北京 2000年
A Complete Checklist of Species and Subspecies of the Chinese Birds (Revised Edition) by Cheng Tso-Hsin, Science Press, Beijing 2000

中国鸟类分类与分布名录 主编:郑光美 科学出版社 北京 2005年
A Checklist on the Classification and Distribution of the Birds of China Chief editor: Zheng Guangmei, Science Press, Beijing 2005

中国鸟类野外手册(中文版)约翰・马敬能、卡伦・菲利普斯,合作者:荷芬奇,翻译:卢和芬 湖南教育出版社 长沙 2000年
A Field Guide to the Birds of China (Chinese translation) by John MacKinnon, Karen Phillipps, in collaboration with He Fen-qi, translated by Lu Hefen, Hunan Jiaoyu Chubanshe (Hunan Educational Press) Changsha 2000

世界鸟类分类与分布名录 主编:郑光美 科学出版社 北京 2002年
A Checklist on the Classification and Distribution of the Birds of the World Chief editor: Zheng Guangmei, Science Press, Beijing 2002

世界鸟类名称(拉丁文、汉文、英文对照)第二版 郑作新等 科学出版社 北京 2002年
Birds of the World (Latin, Chinese and English Names) 2nd ed. by Cheng Tso-Hsin et al, Science Press, Beijing 2002

Danh Lục Chim Việt Nam (In lần thứ hai) (Checklist of the Birds of Vietnam) Võ Quý, Nguyễn Cử, Nhà Xuất Bản Nông Nghiệp, Hà Nội 1999

Chim Việt Nam Nguyễn Cử, Lê Trọng Trải, Karen Phillipps; Nhà Xuất Bản Lao Động - Xã Hội, 2000

นกในเมืองไทย รศ. โอภาส ขอบเขตต (Birds in Thailand, by Assoc. Prof. Obhas Khobkhet), in five volumes, Sarakadee Press, Bangkok, 1998-2001

Senarai Nama-nama Burung Semenanjung Malaysia dan Asia Tenggara by Ismail, Abdul Rahman, Perhilitan (Jabatam Perlindungan Hidupan Liar dan Taman Negara, Semenanjung Malaysia), Kuala Lumpur 1981
(List of the Names of Birds of Peninsular Malaysia and Southeast Asia by Ismail, Abdul Rahman, Department of Wildlife and National Parks, Peninsular Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 1981)

The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula: Vol. 1 - Non-passerines by Wells, David R., Academic Press, London 1999

A Field Guide to the Birds of West Malaysia and Singapore by Jeyarajasingam, Allen and Alan Pearson, Oxford University Press, Oxford 1999

The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula: Vol. 2 - Passerines by Wells, David R., Christopher Helm, A&C Black, London 2007

Danh Lục Các Loài Chim ở Việt Nam (Latinh, Việt, Pháp, Hán) Trần Văn Chánh 2008-2009