Delichon urbicum
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Mass
~15 g
Habitat
Urban areas and gardens
Diet
Insects and invertebrates
How to recognize it
Western House-Martin looks light and quick, with a clean white underside and a bright white rump that flashes in flight. In town, it is easier to notice by the way it skims and turns over roofs and water than by any single detail.
It is a social, noisy companion, especially around colonies. Its voice is modest rather than loud, with short chattering calls and a soft twitter, and it spends most of the day on the wing.
It favors open ground near water and settled places with good nesting ledges. It catches flying insects in the air and now often breeds on houses, bridges, and under eaves, leaving northern areas when the season turns.
Quick Facts
Listen to the call
Western House-Martin looks light and quick, with a clean white underside and a bright white rump that flashes in flight. In town, it is easier to notice by the way it skims and turns over roofs and water than by any single detail.
It is a social, noisy companion, especially around colonies. Its voice is modest rather than loud, with short chattering calls and a soft twitter, and it spends most of the day on the wing.
It favors open ground near water and settled places with good nesting ledges. It catches flying insects in the air and now often breeds on houses, bridges, and under eaves, leaving northern areas when the season turns.
