Latin name - Delichon urbica

Along with Swallows and Swifts, the arrival of the House Martin from its winter quarters in Africa is a welcome sign of spring. Both sexes are similar with metallic blue-black upper-parts, pure white under-parts, white rump, a forked tail and broad, short wings. It's small legs and feet are covered in white feathers. On young birds the white areas are a kind of buff grey in colour and the top of the head is brown. Originally nesting mainly on cliffs, House Martins adapted to man building cup-shaped nests under the eaves of house using approximately 2,500 tiny pellets of mud. They feed on insects caught on the wing and can be seen between April and October.