ABSTRACT
Swallows and martins are a familiar group of cosmopolitan "songbirds", not for any vocal magnificence, but for several species that closely associate with man. Purple Martins that breed in North America live almost entirely in human-constructed bird houses and condominiums, and the cosmopolitan Barn Swallow is a familiar bird of porches, fishing piers, and their barn namesakes. Swallows all seem to have a complete preformative molt, usually resulting in an adult-like plumage, but at least in Progne subis the adult plumage in males is delayed to the second prebasic molt. Distinguishing the first cycle formative (FCF) from definitive cycle basic (DCB) is often not simple or possible in many species, but recommends examining the distal marginal covs, which are basal to the pp covs and hidden by the alulas; these may be browner or duller in FCF than DCB birds within each sex class.
