Eurasian crag martin

The Eurasian Crag Martin: A Small Bird with a Big Story

Imagine a small bird about 14 cm long, with ash-brown upperparts and paler underparts, featuring white patches on its tail feathers. This is the Eurasian crag martin, a fascinating creature that has captured our attention for centuries. How much do you know about this unique bird?

Physical Characteristics: A Distinctive Look

The Eurasian crag martin stands out with its distinctive physical features, such as ash-brown upperparts and paler underparts. It has a broader body, wings, and tail than other European swallows, making it easy to distinguish from the sand martin by its larger size, lack of brown breast band, and white tail spots.

Flight Patterns: Agile and Graceful

The flight pattern of the Eurasian crag martin is quite unique. It appears relatively slow for a swallow, with rapid wing beats interspersed with flat-winged glides. Its long flexible primaries give it agility to maneuver near cliff faces. The species often flies high and shows the white spots as it spreads its tail.

Geographic Range: From Mountains to Roosts

The Eurasian crag martin breeds in mountains from Iberia through southern Europe, the Persian Gulf, and China to India and the Middle East. Northern populations are migratory, with European birds wintering in north Africa, Senegal, Ethiopia, and the Nile Valley, while Asian breeders go to southern China, the Indian subcontinent, and the Middle East.

Nesting Behavior: A Mud Nest Builder

The Eurasian crag martin is a member of the ‘mud nest builders’ group. It builds a mud nest adherent to rocks or man-made structures, laying two to five brown-blotched white eggs that are incubated mainly by the female. The nesting season is from May to August, and both parents feed the chicks every two to five minutes.

Winter Roosts: A Gathering of Thousands

The largest wintering roost has been recorded at Gibraltar’s Gorham’s Cave Complex, housing up to 12,000 birds during the 2020-2021 winter season. These roosts are not just about numbers; they’re also about survival and fitness. Roost quality correlates with individual bird health and longevity.

Conservation Status: A Species on the Rise

The Eurasian crag martin has a very large range and high numbers, making it not considered to be threatened. The population is increasing following a northward expansion, possibly due to increased use of man-made structures as nest sites. With its very large range and high numbers, the Eurasian crag martin is classed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Conclusion: A Species with a Bright Future

The Eurasian crag martin is a remarkable bird that continues to fascinate us. Its unique physical characteristics, flight patterns, and nesting behavior make it stand out among other species. As we continue to learn more about this fascinating creature, one thing remains clear: the Eurasian crag martin has a bright future ahead of it.