Wildlifeof Bhutan
Eurasian Crag Martin
Swallows & Martins
Photo: (c) euqirneto, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY (May be cropped or resized)
Ptyonoprogne rupestris
Basic stats
Habitat
Half-cup mud nest lined with feathers and dry grass, attached to rock under a cliff overhang or on man-made structures; nests often solitary
Range
Breeds in the mountains of southern Europe, north-western Africa and across the Palearctic; most Asian breeders migratory, wintering in northern Africa, the Middle East or India
Clutch size
2–5 brown-blotched white eggs, averaging 3
Size
13–15cm
Wingspan
32–34.5cm
Weight
Average 23g
The Eurasian crag martin is a small swallow, 13 to 15cm long with a 32 to 34.5cm wingspan, weighing an average 23g. It has ash-brown upperparts and paler underparts, a broader body, wings and tail than any other European swallow, and a short, square tail with white patches near the tips of most feathers. The underwing and undertail coverts are blackish (Wikipedia, general species account).
It breeds in the mountains of southern Europe, north-western Africa and across the Palearctic. Many European birds are resident, but most Asian breeders are migratory, wintering in northern Africa, the Middle East or India. The neat half-cup mud nest, lined with feathers and dry grass, is attached to rock under an overhang, and two to five eggs are incubated mainly by the female, with both parents feeding the chicks.
Quick answers
- What habitat does the Eurasian Crag Martin live in?
- Half-cup mud nest lined with feathers and dry grass, attached to rock under a cliff overhang or on man-made structures; nests often solitary
- Where is the Eurasian Crag Martin found?
- Breeds in the mountains of southern Europe, north-western Africa and across the Palearctic; most Asian breeders migratory, wintering in northern Africa, the Middle East or India
- How many eggs does the Eurasian Crag Martin lay?
- 2–5 brown-blotched white eggs, averaging 3
- How big is the Eurasian Crag Martin?
- 13–15cm
- What is the wingspan of the Eurasian Crag Martin?
- 32–34.5cm
- How much does the Eurasian Crag Martin weigh?
- Average 23g