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| House Martin - Delichon urbica |
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The house martin is small bird from the swallow family. They arrive in the UK around April, returning to their traditional nest sites. They stay until around September - October time when they then migrate south for the winter. |
| Indentification |
| Adult |
The House Martin is a compact black & white bird. They have a blue-black crown & back, black wings & tail, prominent white rump, forked tail and pure white underparts. |
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| Size |
12-13cm |
| Bill |
black, short & thin. |
| Legs |
white & short; on close inspection their legs and toes are covered in white feathers |
| Habitat |
The House Martin is found in towns, cities, mixed agricultural areas, and inland freshwater. |
| Behaviour |
aerial, takes off and lands on buildings. Spend a lot of its time on the wing. |
| Flocking |
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| Flight |
glides, flittering, diving, swooping. |
| Voice |
harsh chirrup |
| Breeding |
| Nest |
mud domes under eaves of buildings |
| Eggs |
lays 4-5 eggs, white. |
| Incubation period |
13 - 19 days |
| Fledgling |
19 - 25 days |
| Broods |
2 to 3; May - June. |
| Food |
insects on the wing. |
| UK breeding pairs |
560,000 |
| Selection of popular products |
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