Northern House Martin Delichon urbicum Delichon urbica

Northern House Martin Delichon urbicum
(aka European Martin, Common House-Martin, House Martin, Delichon urbica)

House Martin, Hadleigh, Suffolk, May 2005 - click for larger image

The Northern House Martin breeds throughout most of Europe and the Mediterranean coast of north Africa as well as across central and northern Asia.

They migrate to Africa in the winter but are one of the later migrants to leave (around October) and one of the earliest to return (around April). See the distribution map at Birdlife International.

House Martin, Monks Eleigh, Suffolk, July 2007 - click for larger image

Their nest is a half cup of mud pellets, feathers and other light material built against a vertical surface and with an overhang to shelter the nest. In nature this is built on cliffs but they are normally seen on buildings usually under the eaves of the roof and often with several nests built alongside each other.

They hunt for insects in the air.

They have a pure white rump which contrasts with the black upperparts and dark metallic blue crown and mantle. Underparts are white and the black tail is short and slightly forked.

There is more information available via Avibase.

There are a variety of calls based on a dry twitter "prrit" and the song is a series of chirps.

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