Birds and wildlife

House Martin

Delichon urbicumGroup: swallows and martinsUK Conservation status:Red

How to identify

The House Martin is a small bird with glossy blue-black upper parts and pure white under parts. It has a distinctive white rump with a forked tail and, on close inspection, white feathers covering its legs and toes. It spends much of its time in flight, collecting insect prey. The bird's mud nest is usually located below the eaves of buildings. They are summer migrants and spend their winters in Africa. Although still numerous and widespread, recent moderate declines earn them a place on the Red List.

Call

House Martin

Patrik Åberg / xeno-canto

Key features to look out for

  • Smaller than Swifts and Swallows, with a plumper body 
  • Blue-black upper parts, with a tell-tale white rump 
  • Pure white underside with a black tail 
  • Shorter, straighter wings than Swifts and Swallows 
  • Short, forked tail with no streamers 
House Martin adult landing on phone line between young.
House Martin
Swift, swallow or martin?

Each spring, Swifts, Swallows, House Martins and Sand Martins make one of nature’s most epic journeys, flying all the way from Africa to our shores to breed. At first glance, these avian athletes can look very similar, but there are some key differences between them. Have a read of our handy ID guide and soon you’ll know your Swifts from your Swallows.

Where to see them

Provided that there’s plenty of insect food nearby, House Martins can often be seen in towns and villages, due to their reliance on buildings for nesting. Wetlands and lakes are also a hotspot, as House Martins prey on the flying insects that thrive in these wet areas.

Key

  1. Resident
  2. Passage
  3. Summer
  4. Winter
* This map is intended as a guide. It shows general distribution rather than detailed, localised populations.
  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Behaviour

House Martins are most active in the morning and evenings. They zoom around at mid-height, usually in flocks, coming down low over water. You might even see them collecting mud to build their nests. 

Call/song

House Martins have a rapid chattering call.

Nesting

House Martins usually build their mud nests under the eaves of our homes and buildings – hence their name! Unlike the Swallow’s open cup nest, House Martins only leave a small opening at the top of their nest – as the chicks grow, they can often be seen peeking out from the hole, impatiently awaiting their next meal. House Martins tend to nest in colonies, sometimes with several nests build side-by-side.  

House Martin newly fledged bird perched on barbed wire fence.
House Martin
Did you know?

House Martin pairs work together to build their nest using around a thousand pellets of mud, each carefully collected using their beaks. House Martins often re-use their nests, so if you have a nest on your house don’t knock it down! 

Key facts