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.
Birds and wildlife
Sand Martin
Riparia ripariaGroup: swallows and martinsUK Conservation status:GreenHow to identify
Sand Martins are the smallest European hirundines (the collective name for martins and swallows). They have dark brown upper parts and dark under wings, contrasting with pale under parts divided by a distinctive dark chest stripe. They are agile fliers, feeding mainly over water. Look out for them perching on overhead wires or branches. They are sociable in the breeding season and winter. During the past 50 years the European population has crashed on two occasions as a result of drought in the birds' African wintering grounds.Call
Sand Martin
Patrik Åberg / xeno-canto
Key features to look out for
- Grey-brown back, without the white rump of a House Martin
- White underside, with a brown band across the chest
- Narrower wings than a House Martin
- Short tail, only slightly forked
- Smaller than a Swallow and slimmer than a House Martin
Swift, swallow or martin?
Where to see them
Sand Martins feed over farmland and wetlands, especially along rivers, around lakes and at man-made gravel pits. They tend to avoid built-up areas, woods and mountains.
Key
- Resident
- Passage
- Summer
- Winter
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Where best to see them
Behaviour
Sand Martins tend to swirl and flap, rather than glide. They fly mainly over water and open countryside, and will also perch on overhead wires and branches, often in groups.
Call/song
Sand Martins have a harsh rattling call.
Nesting
Unlike Swallows and House Martins, which build mud nests, and Swifts which nest in roofs, Sand Martins dig burrows. They usually make their nest holes in steep sandy cliffs, riverbanks, or gravel pits, but some House Martins have been known to try holes in brickwork and pipes poking out of walls. House Martins are sociable birds and breed in colonies.
Did you know?
Sand Martins line the nesting area at the end of their burrow with grass and feathers.