Swifts, Swallows, House Martins and Sand Martins – how do you tell them apart?
They’re small, fast and easily confused. How do you tell Swifts, Swallows, House Martins and Sand Martins apart? Firstly, Swallows, House Martins and Sand Martins are all related; they are all Hirundines. Swifts have a similar style but are more closely related to Hummingbirds. They can be tricky to tell apart, since they all catch and eat insects on the wing. Here’s a simple guide to telling these summer visitors to the UK apart:
Swifts
Swifts are the last to arrive and the first to depart. They live their entire lives on the wing apart from a brief time in the nesting season.
Their distinguishing characteristics are:
- Sickle-shaped narrow wings, like an airborne anchor
- Dark above and below
- Screaming high above
- Stiff wings
- Never perching
For more photos and stories about Swifts, click here:
Swallow
Swallows mean summer to me. They nest in barns and outbuildings, building cup-shaped nests of mud and grass.
Their distinguishing characteristics are:
- Swooping flight
- Long tail streamers
- Dark above and pale below with a dark head and throat
- Red chin in close views
For more photos and stories about Swallows, click here:
House Martins
House Martins are colonial nesters on the outside of buildings.
Their distinguishing characteristics are:
- Dark above and white below with a white throat
- Dumpy with fluttering flight
- White rump
For more photos and stories about House Martins, click here:
Sand Martins
Sand Martins nest in holes which they tunnel into sandy banks of rivers and in sand dunes.
Their distinguishing characteristics are:
- Dark above and white below with a dark chest band
- Colonial nesting in sandy banks
For more photos and stories about Sand Martins, click here:
I hope you’ll enjoy seeing all four species in the few months they are with us and that this guide helps you tell them apart.
Please join me in wishing them all safe travels.
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