General
House Martin: Small swallow. Glossy blue-black upperparts contrast sharply with white-grey underparts. Mantle, crown, a metallic dark blue; wings, tail black-grey. Solid white rump. Legs covered in white down. Female has slightly greyer underparts; Juvenile duller, with brown crown, white areas tinged with grey.
Range and Habitat
House Martin: Summer visitor to most of the UK and Ireland, more common in the south and east. Arrives in April and leaves by October. Winters in tropical Africa. Found in varying open habitats, from sea cliffs to lowland farms, also seen in towns and villages. Often perches on utility cables.
Breeding and Nesting
House Martin: Builds cup-shaped nest from mud pellets, feathers, and other light materials on vertical surfaces beneath protective overhangs. Often colonial. May reuse nests. Up to three broods per season; four to six white eggs are incubated for 13 to 19 days by both parents.
Foraging and Feeding
House Martin: Flies for hours hunting insects. Prefers flies, aphids, beetles. Sometimes feeds while perched or clinging to vertical surfaces.
Vocalisation
House Martin: Song a chattering twitter with hissing or buzzing notes. Call is a chirping "prrrtt, prrrtt, prrrtt."
Similar Species
House Martin: Sand Martin lacks white rump and has breastband.