Common House Martin (Delichon urbicum)
The common house martin is one of four members of the swallow family that breed in central Europe. It can be easily distinguished by the pure white rump (the body part immediately above the tail). The common house martins travel very large distances as they winter between the Sahara desert and the Cape Province (at the very Southern tip of Africa). The East-Asian subspecies winters in southern China, Indonesia and the Indian state of Assam, all much closer to its breeding range. The common house martin travels at average speeds of 43 km/h (27mph), but it can temporarily reach speeds of up to 70 km/h (44 mph). Despite of the longer distance the common house martins reach their nesting sites approximately 10 days before the barn swallows do.
Other ways to distinguish between the two are that the common house martins glide more frequently, but they also beat their wings more quickly. They breed at higher elevations, up to the timber line in Europe at rock faces in the Alps and in Tibet even at 4,600 m (15,300 ft). The common house martin at the same time relies on open spaces as it has to be able to gather aerial plankton even on rainy days. Larger bodies of water provide some of the nesting materials.
My Name *
I am a swallow, or more accurately known as “delichon urbica”. In contrast to the smoke swallow, my relative, my underside is as immaculate white. My tail also differs from hers. I think it’s much more beautiful, without those long, silly points, don’t you agree? I also think it makes more sense to fasten my nest on the outside of a building, instead of living with animals in a stall. My Latin name shows that scientists are only human, too. Actually, it comes from the Greek “he chelidon”, which simply means “the swallow”. Somebody mixed up the letters from “chelidon” and got “delichon”, which really doesn’t make any sense at all. Since I live near humans, I was given the designation “urbica”, that is, belonging to a city.
The swallow continues its story: My Flight Muscles
* quotes from the book "If Animals Could Talk"
