Posted by Jonathan Labaree on June 11, 2003 at 16:01:12 from 207.5.234.19 user JLabaree.
In Reply to: Hirundo, was Robert's boat posted by Jonathan Labaree on June 11, 2003 at 13:06:43:
To reply more precisely to Andy's question, I should add that the family name for swallow is Hirundinidae. The family does indeed include martins. Swifts, however, are in a different order (one classification level up from family) from the swallows and therefore not really very related, which seems odd given such similar appearence. Swifts are Apodiformes and swallows are Passeriforms (a large order that includes warblers).
I put a link to quite a good site if you are interested in animal classifications.