Project Description
Swifts, Swallows and Martins ID Guide
Swifts, those most iconic of aerial acrobats, have been returning over the last week or so. Along with Swallows, Sand Martins and House Martins, these four summer visitors to Ireland from Africa are often mistaken for each other. But never fear! The good folks at BirdWatch Ireland have produced the brilliant identification poster below to help us tell these species apart.
Swifts Swallows Martins ID Poster
The ID poster points out distinctive features to help you correctly identify each species. It also highlights the nests which are characteristic to each species in terms of shape, location and structure.
The main characteristics for each species and their nest from the poster can be found below.
Swift
Common Swift
- Look fully black
- Sickle shaped wings
- Short forked tail
Swallow
Swallow
- White underparts with inky blue “hood” and red chin
- Long forked tail, much longer than the other three species
House Martin
House Martin
- White underparts, inky blue above with a distinctive white rump
- Short wings and short forked tail
Sand Martin
Sand Martin
- White underparts with distinctive brown chest bar
- Short wings and short forked tail
Nest Sites
The nest shape, structure and type is also characteristic of each apecies.
- Swift nests are always tucked away within buildings, including on roof plates, under roof tiles, in small gaps in masonry and other cavities.
- Swallows build a half cup nest with mud pellets. Nests are built under shelter, including in sheds, porches and lean-tos.
- House Martins build an almost fully enclosed cup nest with mud pellets. Nests are built under the eaves of houses and long terraces of nests can form.
- Sand Martin nests are found at the end of small burrowed chambers. These burrows are usually excavated in sandy banks along rivers and within quarries.
Now that you know how to tell these species apart why not share your sightings with the Spring Alive project here and/or the National Biodiversity Data Centre here
