Claire Thompson
The Western house martin (Delichon urbicum), sometimes called the common house martin, is a migratory bird that breeds in Europe, North Africa, and across the Palearctic. It migrates to warmer climates in sub-Saharan Africa and tropical Asia during the winter months. The house martin is a socially monogamous bird that builds its nest in colonies under the eaves of buildings. The female lays 4-5 eggs, which are incubated for 14-16 days. After hatching, the chicks remain in the nest for 22-32 days before leaving. While the reasons for chick abandonment by house martins are not explicitly mentioned in the context of Western Washington, North America, factors such as poor weather, poisoning by agricultural pesticides, lack of mud for nest building, and competition for nest sites can impact their breeding and survival.
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What You'll Learn
Western house martins are not native to North America
The Western house martin (Delichon urbicum), also known as the common house martin, northern house martin or just house martin, is a migratory bird species of the swallow family. It breeds in Europe, North Africa, and across the Palearctic, and winters in sub-Saharan Africa and tropical Asia. The Western house martin has not been identified as a vagrant visitor to North America.
Western house martins are highly adaptable and skilled long-distance fliers. During the breeding season, they are found across Europe, including the UK and Scotland, and as far north as parts of Scandinavia. They prefer open habitats, including rural and suburban areas, and are often seen as harbingers of spring. Their chosen nesting sites are typically under the eaves of houses and other man-made structures, where they build their distinctive mud nests.
The Western house martin is a migratory bird, travelling long distances between its breeding grounds in Europe and North Africa and its wintering areas in sub-Saharan Africa and tropical Asia. It has been recorded as a vagrant visitor to Alaska, Newfoundland, Bermuda, and the Azores, but these occurrences are rare. The bird's migratory habits and preference for open spaces make it an excellent indicator of a healthy environment, as it relies on clean water sources and an abundance of insects for food.
While the Western house martin has a wide range, it is not commonly found in North America. The American Birding Association (ABA) maintains official records of all bird species observed within the perimeters of the North American continent and its surrounding waters. The ABA's list does not include the Western house martin, indicating that the species has not been identified as a visitor to the region. This absence could be due to the bird's preference for open spaces and clean environments, which may be less abundant in North America.
In summary, Western house martins are not native to North America. They are migratory birds with a range spanning Europe, North Africa, the Palearctic, sub-Saharan Africa, and tropical Asia. Their absence from North America may be due to a combination of their preference for specific habitats and the lack of suitable environments in the region. The American Birding Association's records further support the absence of Western house martins in North America.
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Western house martins are migratory birds
The Western house martin (Delichon urbicum), also known as the common house martin, northern house martin, or just house martin in Europe, is a migratory bird. It breeds in Europe, North Africa, and across the Palearctic, and migrates to sub-Saharan Africa and tropical Asia during the winter months. The Western house martin is a passerine bird of the swallow family, feeding on insects caught in flight. It is attracted to climates with an abundance of flying insects.
The Western house martin is a small bird, measuring about 13 cm (5 inches) in length, with a wingspan of 26-29 cm (10-11.5 inches). Its colouring is steel-blue on the upper body and white on the underparts, including the underwings. Even its short legs are covered in white downy feathers, and its toes and exposed leg parts are pink. Its eyes are brown, and its bill is small and black.
Western house martins are socially monogamous, forming lifelong pair bonds for breeding. However, extra-pair copulations are common, with males entering other nests, resulting in genetic polygamy. This behaviour is also observed in other bird species, such as barn swallows, with which Western house martins frequently hybridise.
These birds build their nests out of mud pellets under the eaves of buildings or other structures. They prefer open country with low vegetation, such as pastures, meadows, and farmland, usually near water. They can also be found nesting in city centres if the air quality is adequate. Western house martins tend to be more urban than barn swallows and show a preference for nesting near trees, which provide both food and roosting sites.
The female Western house martin lays 4-5 eggs, which she incubates for 14-16 days. The newly hatched chicks are altricial, requiring care from their parents. After 22-32 days, the chicks leave the nest, but they continue to be fed by their parents for about a week. The Western house martin typically produces two broods per year, with the nest being reused and repaired for the second brood.
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Western house martin breeding and nesting habits
Western house martins are migratory birds that breed in Europe, north Africa, and across the Palearctic, and migrate to sub-Saharan Africa and tropical Asia during the winter months. They are colonial nesters, with an average group size of four to five nests, although large colonies with tens or even hundreds of nests are sometimes reported. They build their nests on the outer walls of buildings, under the eaves, or in cliffs and caves. The nests are made of mud pellets, mixed with grass and lined with feathers and vegetable fibre.
During the breeding season, which typically runs from May to August, female western house martins lay four or five white eggs at daily intervals. Both male and female birds incubate the eggs for 14-16 days, after which the chicks hatch together. The female broods them for about a week, as they are unable to maintain their body temperature. The chicks fledge and leave the nest after 22-32 days, depending on the weather. After leaving the nest, the fledged young stay with and are fed by their parents for about a week.
Western house martins typically breed when they are one year old, and pairs usually remain together for life. However, extra-pair copulations are common, making the species genetically polygamous. A Scottish study found that 15% of nestlings were not related to their assumed fathers, and 32% of broods contained at least one extra-pair chick. The western house martin has also been known to hybridise with the barn swallow.
The preferred habitat of western house martins during the breeding season is open country with low vegetation, such as pasture, meadows, and farmland, usually near water. They are more likely to be found near trees, as they provide insect food and roosting sites. They are also more urban than barn swallows and can be found nesting in city centres if the air is clean enough.
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Western house martin chick survival rates
The Western house martin (Delichon urbicum) is a migratory bird species of the swallow family. It breeds in Europe, North Africa, and across the Palearctic, and migrates to winter in sub-Saharan Africa and tropical Asia. This bird is known for its use of human-made structures to build its nests, typically under the eaves of buildings.
Regarding chick survival rates, Western house martins have a hatching success rate of 90%. After hatching, the altricial chicks remain in the nest for 22 to 32 days, depending on weather conditions. The fledging survival rate during this period is estimated to be between 60% and 80%. Once the chicks leave the nest, they stay with their parents, who feed them for about a week.
Western house martins typically raise two broods annually, and the same nest is reused and repaired for the second brood. While third broods are not uncommon, late nestlings in these broods are often left to starve. The average annual mortality for adults nesting in the Western Palaearctic is 40–60%, with most deaths occurring outside the breeding season.
Migration poses significant hazards to Western house martin chicks and adults alike. In 1974, hundreds of thousands of birds of this species perished due to heavy snowfall and low temperatures in the Swiss Alps. Adverse weather conditions, including low temperatures and precipitation, are critical factors influencing the survival of juveniles and adults during migration.
While Western house martins are not considered vagrant visitors to North America, there is limited information specific to chick survival rates in Western Washington, North America. However, general insights into the species' survival can be applied to this context. The factors contributing to chick survival rates, such as nesting habits, migration challenges, and environmental conditions, are relevant across different regions, including Western Washington.
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Western house martin diet
The Western house martin, scientifically known as Delichon urbicum, is a small, agile bird that belongs to the Hirundinidae family. This bird is characterised by its distinctive physical attributes and behaviour. It is a migratory passerine bird of the swallow family, which breeds in Europe, North Africa, and across the Palearctic. It winters in sub-Saharan Africa and tropical Asia.
The Western house martin has a steel-blue head and upper body, with a white rump and pure white underparts, including the underwings. Even its short legs have white downy feathering. Its brown eyes and small black bill contrast with the pink toes and exposed parts of its legs. The juvenile bird is sooty black, with some white tips and edgings on its wing coverts and quills.
The Western house martin is a noisy bird, especially at its breeding colonies. The male's song, a soft twitter of melodious chirps, can be heard throughout the year. The contact call, a hard "chirrrp", and the alarm call, a shrill "tseep", are also distinctive sounds made by this bird.
The Western house martin is an adept forager and uses its agile flight abilities to capture its prey in mid-air. Its diet primarily consists of flying insects, which it catches in flight. It migrates to climates where flying insects are plentiful. Some of the insects that constitute a significant portion of its diet include:
- Flies
- Aphids
- Flying ants
The Western house martin shows a preference for foraging in open areas, such as farmland or near bodies of water, where insects are more abundant. Its expert foraging skills ensure that it catches enough food to sustain itself and its offspring throughout the breeding and non-breeding seasons.
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Frequently asked questions
There is no evidence to suggest that house martins abandon their chicks. The female does most of the incubation, which normally lasts 14–16 days. The newly hatched chicks are altricial (helpless), and after a further 22–32 days, they leave the nest. The fledged young stay with, and are fed by, the parents for about a week after leaving the nest.
House martins have not been identified as vagrant visitors to North America. They breed in Europe, North Africa, and across the Palearctic, and migrate to sub-Saharan Africa and tropical Asia in the winter.
The juvenile bird is sooty black, and some of its wing coverts and quills have white tips and edgings.
