House martin

    Delichon urbicum

Castilian: Avión común

Catalan: Oreneta cuablanca

Gallego: Andoriña do cu branco

Euskera: Enara azpizuria

CLASIFICACIÓN:

Orden: Passeriformes

Family: Hirundinidae

Migratory status: Summer resident

CONSERVATION STATUS:

On the National List of Threatened Species, it appears in the “Of Special Interest” category. In the 2004 edition of the Red Book of Spanish Birds (Libro Rojo de las Aves de España) it is listed as “Not Evaluated”.

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THREATS

Its difficulty in nesting in cities due to not finding mud for its nests, atmospheric pollution, and the destruction of its nests because they are dirty are all problems this species faces.

Length / size: 14 cm / 28 cm

Identification: Bird that flies with quickness and agility whose bill and legs are short and whose short tail is forked. Its back is a bright bluish-black colour, which contrasts with its white underparts. Its wings are long and pointed, and its rump is white. It is usually observed in flight and in groups.

Song: Very singsong, it makes a "cheerrrp" sound as a call, with variations according to its mood and needs.

Diet: It feeds almost exclusively on flying insects, such as flies, mosquitoes and aphids, which it captures by chasing in acrobatic flights at an intermediate altitude in between the low zone of the barn swallow and the high altitude of the common swifts.

Reproduction: The breeding period begins in April in Andalusia and Extremadura, and continues until September in the north. It is a monogamous species, although paternity outside the pair is common; it can breed in nests alone or in congregations of many adjacent nests, and remains loyal to its breeding site. The nest, a closed semi-sphere with balls of mud and a small entry, and stuck to the wall or ceiling; it is built by both sexes. They also both incubate the eggs and care for the chicks. The nests can be repaired and reused for several years.

HABITAT

It is found in warm, urban areas at medium and low altitudes, and lives in towns, dams, bridges and cities. In some places it continues to breed in rocky areas, its original habitat. It usually breeds in places up an altitude of 2,000 metres.

DISTRIBUTION

In Spain: During breeding season, it is distributed throughout the entire peninsula, the Balearic Islands, Ceuta, and Melilla; in winter, a small number can be found in the south, around the low part of the River Guadalquivir.

In Castile and León: It is distributed throughout the entire community.

Movements and migrations: The Spanish populations go to the Gulf of Guinea to spend the winter, and return slowly, with a difference of up to three months between north and south, with the oldest specimens arriving first. The migratory passages of non-Iberian specimens take place in February-May and July-November.

POPULATION

In Spain: There is an estimated population of 1-3 million breeding pairs.

In Castile and León: