House martin

/hˈaʊs mˈɑːtɪn/

/hˈaʊs mˈɑːɹtɪn/

[noun]

House martin

[NOUN]

a small European songbird that is migratory with black-and-white plumage, which nests under roofs

synonyms : Delichon urbica

What is a "house martin"?

A house martin is a small migratory bird found across Europe and parts of Asia and Africa. With its sleek and agile build, the house martin is known for its aerial acrobatics, gracefully swooping and darting through the air as it catches insects on the wing. It has a distinctive appearance, featuring a glossy blue-black plumage on its back, contrasting with a white underbelly. The house martin is particularly recognized for its skill in building intricate nests made of mud, which are attached to the sides of buildings and other structures. These nests provide shelter and protection for their eggs and young. House martins are social birds, often nesting in colonies, and they are known for their cheerful twittering calls.

Examples

1. There's house martins nesting in the gutters.

2. The child services lady shows up and gives her a breakdown of why Rebecca can’t house Martin, and that he needs to go back to his mother according to the law.

3. So this one's got all sorts of exciting and funny stories in it, everything from her family's race to save a missing calf which sounds very stressful, to finding that her bra has been repurposed as a house martin's nest, which sounds brilliant.