Appearance:

Stocky martin with broad (but pointed) wings, broad tail and broad head. Mostly dusky brown with paler underparts, except almost black under wing-coverts, and fairly dark vent. Most tail-feathers with small, white "window" visible from below. Immature similar to adults, but with pale fringes to coverts. Flight less acrobatic than other martins, with frequent, long glides. Strays less away from breeding grounds than congeners.

Sound:

Most heard is a House Martin-like, but less rolling, "prit" or "check". Other contact sounds include a plaintive "peeuuu". Song an inconspicuous, staccato series of twittering notes, with a wagtail-like timbre.

Calls, song:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

Appearance:

Largely unmistakable. Pale pinkish brown. Wings dark with white and blue patches. Tail black and rump white (conspicuous in flight). Crown speckled in black. Striking black moustache stripe. Flight pattern straight and fluttering like Nutcracker, but tail longer and bill shorter.

Sound:

Large repertoire. Most heard call a short, drawn and very hoarse, raspy sound, often given in quick successions. Also a Buzzard-like, mewing "peeeaaa" (more drawn and less full tone than Siberian Jay). Quiet and varied subsong with mimicry, resembling a small passerine heard from both sexes. Many other social sounds.

Alarm:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC