Western House Martin

A small, aerial insectivore and a classic summer visitor to Europe. It has glossy blue-black upperparts and a bright white rump. Unlike swallows, their underparts are entirely white and the tail is shorter. They are highly communal and nest on houses, bridges, and cliffs.

House Martins spend most of the day on the wing catching flies. They build hemispherical nests made of mud pellets mixed with saliva. These are typically tucked under the eaves of buildings. They are social and often return to the same colony every year.