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Western house martin

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For the 1980s British indie rock band, see The Housemartins

House Martin
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Aves
Order:
Passeriformes
Family:
Hirundinidae
Genus:
Delichon
Species:
D. urbicum
Binomial name
Delichon urbicum[2]
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Yellow: breeding range
Blue: non-breeding range
Synonyms

Hirundo urbica Linnaeus, 1758

The House Martin (Delichon urbicum) is a migratory passerine bird of the swallow family. It has a blue head and upperparts, white rump and pure white underparts. The House Martin resides in open country and near human habitation; breeding in Europe, north Africa and temperate Asia, and wintering in sub-Saharan Africa and tropical Asia. It has two accepted subspecies, and is similar in appearance to two other Delichon martins in eastern and southern Asia.

The genus name Delichon is an anagram of the Ancient Greek term χελιδών (chelīdōn), meaning 'swallow',[3] and the species name urbicum (previously urbica, due to a misunderstanding of Latin grammar, until 2004[2]) means 'of the town' in Latin. Both the scientific and colloquial name of the bird is related to its use of man–made structures. It builds a closed cup nest from mud pellets under eaves or similar locations on buildings, and is usually a colonial breeder. It feeds on insects caught in flight.

Taxonomy

The House Martin was first formally described by Linnaeus in his Systema Naturae in 1758 as a member of the genus Hirundo.[4] In the past, the House Martin was sometimes considered to be conspecific with the Asian House Martin (D. dasypus), which breeds in the mountains of central and eastern Asia and winters in Southeast Asia, and it also closely resembles the Nepal House Martin (D. nipalense), a resident in the mountains of southern Asia. All three Delichon martins are similar in appearance, but only D. urbicum has a pure white rump and underparts. The Delichon genus (Horsfield & Moore, 1854) is a recent divergence from the Barn Swallow genus Hirundo.[5]

The western nominate subspecies D. u. urbicum breeds across temperate Eurasia east to central Mongolia and the Yenisei River, and in Morocco, Tunisia and northern Algeria,[6] and migrates on a broad front to winter in sub-Saharan Africa. The subspecies D. u. lagopodum, described by German zoologist Peter Simon Pallas in 1811, breeds eastwards of the Yenisei to Kolyma and south to northern Mongolia and northern China; it winters in southern China and Southeast Asia. Other races, like meridionalis from around the Mediterranean have been described, but the claimed differences from the nominate race are clinal, and therefore probably invalid.[5]

Description

The adult House Martin of the western nominate race is 13 centimetres (5.1 in) long, with a wing span of 26-29 centimetres (10.2-11.4 in) and a weight averaging 18.3 grammes (0.65 oz). It is steel-blue above with a white rump, and white underparts, including the underwings; even its short legs and toes have white downy feathering. Its bill is black. The young bird is sooty black, and some of the coverts and quills have white tips and edgings. D. u. lagopodum differs from the nominate race in that its white rump extends much further onto the tail, and the fork on the tail is intermediate in depth between that of urbicum and that of the Asian House Martin.[5]

The white rump and underparts of the House Martin, very noticeable in flight, prevent confusion with other widespread Palaeoarctic swallows such as the Barn Swallow, Sand Martin or Red-rumped Swallow. In Africa, confusion with Grey-rumped Swallow is possible, but that species has a grey rump, off-white underparts and long, deeply forked tail. The House Martin is a noisy species, especially at its breeding colonies. The male's song, given throughout the year is a soft twitter of melodious chirps. The contact call, also given on the wintering grounds, is a hard chirrrp, and the alarm is a shrill tseep.[6][7]

Behaviour

Habitat

House Martin in flight

The preferred habitat of the House Martin is open country with low vegetation, such as pasture, meadows and farmland, and preferably near water, although it is also found in mountains up to at least 2200 metres (7200 ft) altitude. It is much more urban than the Barn Swallow, and will nest even in city centres if the air is clean enough.[6] It is more likely to be found near trees than other Eurasian swallows, since they provide insect food and also roosting sites. This species does not normally use the reed-bed roosts favoured by migrating Barn Swallows.[8][9]

It uses similar open habitats on the wintering grounds, but is less conspicuous than wintering Barn Swallows, tending to fly higher and be more nomadic. In the tropical parts of its wintering range, like East Africa and Thailand, it appears to be mainly found in the higher areas.[5][10][11]

The House Martin returns to the breeding grounds a few days after the first Barn Swallows; like them, particularly when the weather is poor, it seldom goes straight to the nesting sites, but hunts for food over large fresh water bodies.[12] There are records of wintering House Martins staying to breed in Namibia and South Africa,[7] and, as would be expected for a long distance migrant, it has occurred as a vagrant eastwards to Alaska and west to Newfoundland, Bermuda and the Azores.[13][5]

Breeding

Collecting mud pellets for the nest

The House Martin was originally a cliff and cave nester, and some cliff-nesting colonies still exist, with the nests built below an overhanging rock. It now largely use human structures such as bridges and houses. Unlike the Barn Swallow, it uses the outside of inhabited buildings, rather than the inside of barns or stables. The nests are build at the junction of a vertical surface and a overhang, such as on house eaves, so that they may be strengthened by attachment to both planes.[5]

Nest building starts between late March in north Africa and mid-June in Lapland. The nest is a neat closed convex cup fixed below a suitable ledge, with a narrow opening at the top. It is constructed by both sexes with mud pellets collected in their beaks, and lined with grasses, hair or other soft materials. The mud, added in successive layers, is collected from ponds, streams or puddles.[5] House Sparrows frequently attempt take over the nest during construction, and if they are successful the House Martins rebuild elsewhere. The entrance at the top of the cup is so small that the Sparrows cannot take over the nest once it is complete.[12]

Adult feeding young

The House Martin breeds colonially, and many nests are built actually in contact; there are records of colonies of thousands of nests, although less than ten is more typical. 4 or 5 white eggs are laid. The eggs average 1.9 x 1.33 centimetres (0.75 x 0.52 in) in size, and weigh 1.7 grammes (0.06 oz). The female does most of the incubation. The incubation period is normally 22–32 days, with another 18–23 days before the altricial chicks fledge. The fledged young stay with, and are fed by, the parents for about a week after leaving the nest. Occasionally, first-year birds from the first brood will assist in feeding the second brood.[5]

There are normally two broods, the nest being reused for the second brood, and repaired and reused in subsequent years. Hatching success is 90%, and fledging survival 60-80%. Average mortality for the adult is 40-70%. Third broods are not uncommon, and late nestlings are often left to starve. Although individuals aged 10 and 14 year have been recorded, most survive less than five years.[5] For weeks after leaving the nest the young congregate in ever increasing flocks which, as the season advances, may be seen gathering in trees or on housetops or on the wires with Swallows. By the end of October, most Martins have left their breeding areas, though late birds in November and December are not uncommon.[12]

The House Martin’s aerial skills protect it from most predators, although it is hunted by the Hobby.[8] It is most vulnerable when collecting mud from the ground. This activity is therefore done communally, with a group of birds descending suddenly on a patch of mud.[14]

The House Martin has been regularly recorded as hybridising with the Barn Swallow, this being one of the most common passerine interspecific crosses.[15] The frequency of this hybrid has led to suggestions that Delichon is not sufficiently separated genetically from Hirundo to be considered a separate genus.[5]

Diet

The House Martin is similar in habits to the other aerial insectivores, including the other swallows and martins and the unrelated swifts. It flies with a gliding action and catches flying insects. It has a somewhat faster wing beat, averaging 5.3 beats per second, than the Barn Swallow with 4.4.[16]

In the breeding areas, flies and aphids make up much of the diet. In Europe, the House Martin takes a larger proportion of aphids and small flies than the Barn Swallow. As with that species, in the wintering area Hymenoptera, especially flying ants, are important food items.[5]

Conservation status

The House Martin has an large range, with an estimated global extent of 10 million km². Its European population is estimated to be 20-48 million individuals. Global population trends have not been quantified, although there is evidence of population fluctuations.[5][6] For these reasons, the species is evaluated as "least concern" on the 2007 IUCN Red List,[1] and has no special status under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) which regulates international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants.

This is a species which has greatly benefited historically from forest clearance creating the open habitats it prefers, and from human habitation which have given it an abundance of safe man-made nest sites. However, populations can fluctuate locally for a number of reasons. New housing has created more nest sites, and clean air legislation has enabled breeding in the centre of major cities like London. Conversely, poor weather, poisoning by agricultural pesticides, lack of mud for nest building and competition with House Sparrows can reduce numbers.[5] Widespread declines in House Martin numbers have been reported from central and northern Europe since 1970.[17] As an attractive bird which feeds on flying insects, the House Martin has usually been tolerated by humans when it shares their buildings for nesting, although the accumulation of droppings below breeding birds can be a nuisance leading to some destruction of nests.[5]

In literature and culture

Coat of arms of Richard II featuring five martlets

This species lacks the wealth of literary references associated with its relative, the Barn Swallow, although it is possible that some of the older mentions for that bird might equally well refer to the House Martin. William Shakespeare was clearly describing the House Martin when he says of Cawdor Castle, "No jutty, frieze, Buttress, nor coign of vantage, but this bird Hath made his pendant bed and procreant cradle; Where they most breed and haunt, I have observed The air is delicate." [Macbeth, Act, scene 6].[18]

There are old legends, with no basis in fact, that House Martins would wall up House Sparrows by closing the entrance of the mud nest with the intruder inside, or that they would gather en masse to kill a Sparrow.[18]

The martlet, usually believed to refer to the House Martin, or possibly a swallow, was a heraldic bird with short tufts of feathers in the place of legs. It was the cadency mark of the fourth son of a noble family, and features in many coats of arms, including the Plantagenets.[19]

References

  1. ^ a b "BirdLife International Species factsheet: Delichon urbicum". BirdLife International. Retrieved 2007-11-15.
  2. ^ a b Sangster, George; Collinson, J. Martin; Helbig, Andreas J; Knox, Alan G; Parkin, David T. (2004) "Taxonomic recommendations for British birds: second report" Ibis (2004), 146, 153–157
  3. ^ UK rec birdwatching. scientific bird names explained Retrieved 20 November 2007
  4. ^ Template:La icon Linnaeus, C (1758). Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. Holmiae. (Laurentii Salvii). p. 824.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Turner, Angela K (1989). Swallows & Martins : an identification guide and handbook. Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0-395-51174-7. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help) p226-233
  6. ^ a b c d Snow, David (1998). The Birds of the Western Palearctic concise edition (2 volumes). Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 019854099X. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help) p1066-1069
  7. ^ a b Sinclair, Ian (2002). SASOL Birds of Southern Africa. Struik. ISBN 1-86872-721-1. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help) p296
  8. ^ a b Mullarney, Killian (1999). Collins Bird Guide. Collins. ISBN 0-00-219728-6. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ Pilastro, Andrea "Euring Projects: The Euring swallow project in Italy" Euring Newsletter 2, December 1998
  10. ^ Lekagul, Boonsong (1991). A Guide to the Birds of Thailand. Saha Karn Baet. ISBN 9748567362. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help) p236
  11. ^ Robson, Craig (2004). A Field Guide to the Birds of Thailand. New Holland Press. ISBN 1843309211. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help) p206
  12. ^ a b c Coward, Thomas Alfred (1930). The Birds of the British Isles and Their Eggs (two volumes). Frederick Warne. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help) Third edition, volume 2, p252-254
  13. ^ Sibley, David (2000). The North American Bird Guide. Pica Press. ISBN 1-873403-78-4. p322
  14. ^ Birdguides House Martin page Retrieved 22 November 2007
  15. ^ Møller, Anders Pape; Gregersen, Jens (illustrator) (1994) Sexual Selection and the Barn Swallow. Oxford: Oxford University Press ISBN 0198540280 Full text
  16. ^ Liechti, Felix (2002). "Wingbeat frequency of barn swallows and house martins: a comparison between free flight and wind tunnel experiments". The Journal of Experimental Biology. 205: 2461–2467. {{cite journal}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |1=, |2=, and |month= (help); External link in |title= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  17. ^ "Population trends". House Martin. Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. Retrieved 2007-12-18.
  18. ^ a b Cocker, Mark (2005). Birds Britannica. Chatto & Windus. ISBN 0701169079. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help) p318-9
  19. ^ Baronage.co.uk Retrieved 22 November 2007
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