All About The House Martin

House martins are one of the UK’s more common garden birds, appearing in the summer and disappearing before the harsh winter can set in. With glossy blue-black feathers and pure white underparts, the house martin is a distinctly beautiful bird that many avid garden bird watchers lookout for in April. So, whether you’ve spotted a house martin enjoying your garden or want to try and encourage them in, here’s all you need to know about the house martin.

What Do House Martins Look Like?

a house martin perched on a branch

The house martin is only a small bird, with a length of around 12cm and a wingspan of between 26 and 29 cm[i]. It has glossy blue-black upper parts, with a bright white throat and matching underpants. Its rump is also white with a forked, blue-back tail.

The house martin is very similar in appearance to another typical summer visitor, the swallow. However, the swallow has a red throat and longer tail feathers.

What Do House Martins Sound Like?

a colony of house martins

House martin songs are very similar to those of a sparrow, consisting of cheeping or chirruping sounds. However, the house martin’s song is rather high-pitched and more trilling than a sparrow’s. Usually, house martins are the most vocal around their nest sites, although you can often hear them in other places.

What Do House Martins Eat?

a house martin hunting for food

House martins feed at a higher altitude than many other birds, catching aphids and other flying insects in flight. Although this is the house martin’s preferred way of feeding, a few foods you can leave out could attract these birds to your garden. You can feed a house martin:

Where Does The House Martin Nest?

house martin fledglings

True to their name, a house martin nest is usually built under the eaves of a building’s roof. In some cases, people may find them inside roofs or sheds. They are colonial nesters, meaning their nests are found in groups, usually of four or five. However, there have been reports of larger nesting colonies, particularly in the countryside. A house martin’s nest is primarily made from grass and mud and lined with feathers and similar materials.  

The breeding season lasts from early May to late August, and chicks are usually ready to leave the nest at 22-23 days. However, some chicks are still in the nest as late as September. Plus, house martins often return to their old nests. So, if you find a house martin nest in your garden, it’s best to leave it alone.

When Do House Martins Arrive In The UK?

a house martin flying

House martins arrive in the UK in April, just a month before their breeding season begins. Sometimes, you can spot house martins returning to our shores in late March, though this is usually rare.

When Do House Martins Leave The UK?

a house martin taking off

House martins begin to leave the UK in August, although they can often still be spotted as late as October. Usually, a house martin will stay so late in the UK if they have raised multiple broods.

Where Do House Martins Migrate To?

a house martin in flight

House martins migrate to Africa from the UK, spending their winters in the sub-Saharan climate. Unfortunately, not much else is known about the house martin’s migration. For example, experts do not know the house martin’s route to get to Africa or the exact wintering areas it chooses to stay in.

Are House Martins In Decline?

a large house martin bird sat on a branch

Currently, the house martin’s conservation status is red[ii]. Unfortunately, this means that the house martin population has declined drastically in recent years. Although 510,000 breeding pairs may not sound like something to worry about, the house martin population has suffered from a 47% reduction since 1970[iii].

It’s believed that this significant population decline is due to several factors, primarily global warming, a reduction in habitat and degraded overwintering grounds. House martins need wet mud to build their nests and warm weather to bring out the insects, both of which are becoming unreliable due to global warming. On top of this, barn conversions and similar construction works are destroying their nesting grounds, while natural habitat loss is consistently occurring in Africa.

See how you can help protect the house martin with the house martin conservation charity.

The House Martin

The house martin is a beautiful bird that the UK is lucky to witness each summer. With glossy feathers and a charming high-pitched song, we’re sure that all you gardeners and birdwatchers would be thrilled to spot this incredible bird in your garden – and now you know what to look out for!

Do you have any fun facts about the house martin? Have you spotted any in your garden this year? Let us know!  

  [i] https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/house-martin/

[ii] https://housemartinconservation.com/

[iii] https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/house-martin/population-trends/