Species:

House Martin (Delichon urbicum)

Bearded Reedling (Panurus biarmicus)

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Length (cm):
12-12
12-12
Wingspan (cm):
26-29
16-18
Weight (gram):
15-23
12-18
Size group:
Sparrow-size
Sparrow-size
Main Texts:
Appearance:

A small, compact martin with short, forked tail and pure white rump. Underparts shiny white (including throat and vent). Upperparts dark with shiny metallic glow to head and back. Juveniles overall more dull, with white tips to tertials and dusky, brownish upperparts. Flight determined and steady. Glides more than Sand Martin, with less frequent change of direction.

Sound:

Contact call a rolling "krreet". Similar to Sand Martin but noticeably dryer, more rolling and less raucous. Typically varies the pitch of the call more. Song a merry improvisation of chirping, contact call-like sounds (sometimes recalling a budgerigar). Warning call a sharp and plaintive "tsreee".

Contact call:

Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file


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:

In all plumages recognized by its long tail, call, and choice of habitat (reeds). Male unmistakable, with bluish grey head, yellow bill and black drooping moustache. Females and juveniles mostly plain, yellow-brown with whitish underparts and no moustache. Young females with dark bill, young males with yellow bill and black lore. Juveniles with black patch on back and black outer tail feathers. Flight whirring and undulated. Sometimes fans tail in flight with twisting motions.

Sound:

More often heard than seen. Usually identified by contact call; a ringing, explosive "tschin" with a characteristic "dirty" timbre. Also a hard and very short "pit", often mixed with the previous. Song a primitive, 3-syllable phrase, consisting of contact call-like sounds.

Contact call:

Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file


Distribution:

Xeno-canto: map

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

CC-photo:sussexbirder, Licence,Link.

Similar species (image):
Similar species (sound):
Silhouette Group:
Swallow-like
Silhouette
Tit-like
Silhouette
Several different images of the species
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ImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImage
Several different sounds of the species
Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file
Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file
Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file