Wildlifeof China
Asian House-Martin
Swallows & Martins
Photo: Mike Prince · CC BY 2.0
Delichon dasypus
Basic stats
Diet
Small insects taken in flight, usually high in the air
Habitat
Colonial; mud nests under overhangs on vertical cliffs or building walls
Range
Breeds in the Himalayas and in central and eastern Asia; winters lower in the mountains or in South-east Asia
Clutch size
3–4 white eggs
Size
12cm
The Asian house martin is a migratory member of the swallow family, 12cm long in the nominate subspecies, dark steel-blue above with a contrasting white rump and pale grey underparts. The tail and upperwings are brownish-black. Its three subspecies breed in the Himalayas and in central and eastern Asia and spend the winter lower in the mountains or in South-east Asia (Wikipedia, general species account).
It breeds in colonies, building mud nests under an overhang on a vertical cliff or the wall of a building. Both sexes build the nest, incubate the three or four white eggs and feed the chicks. It feeds on small insects taken in flight, usually caught high in the air (Wikipedia, general species account).
Quick answers
- What does the Asian House-Martin eat?
- Small insects taken in flight, usually high in the air
- What habitat does the Asian House-Martin live in?
- Colonial; mud nests under overhangs on vertical cliffs or building walls
- Where is the Asian House-Martin found?
- Breeds in the Himalayas and in central and eastern Asia; winters lower in the mountains or in South-east Asia
- How many eggs does the Asian House-Martin lay?
- 3–4 white eggs
- How big is the Asian House-Martin?
- 12cm