Alternative names: House Martin; Common House Martin
- Delichon urbicum
Delichon urbica
Identification
- Blue black upperparts with a dark blue sheen
- White rump
- Longest upper tail coverts are wholly black or are only pale at the bases
- White throat, breast, flanks and undertail
- Axillaries are brownish-grey
Distribution
Widespread and sometimes common, recent evidence of decline.
Taxonomy
Subspecies[1]
- D. u. urbicum:
- D. u. meridionale:
- D. u. lagopodum:
Habitat
Aerial. Breeds in towns and rural areas.
Behaviour
Breeding
Gregarious, breeding colonially on buildings, under eaves and sometimes in cliffs. Nest of mud.
Diet
Almost entirely flying insects.
Vocalisation
<flashmp3>Delichon urbica (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program
References
- Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
- Collins Pocket Guide to British Birds 1966
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Common House Martin. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 10 June 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Common_House_Martin
External Links