Bird Guide

Nepal House Martin vs Western House Martin

Nepal House Martin (Delichon nipalense)

Nepal House Martin

Delichon nipalense

Tiny15 gRocky

The adult Nepal house martin is 13 cm (5.1 in) long, mainly blue-black above and white below. It has a contrasting pure white rump, the tail and upperwings are brownish-black, and the underwings are grey-brown. The legs and feet are brownish-pink and covered with white feathers, the eyes are brown, and the bill is black. The chin is black but the extent varies clinally. In the northeast of the range, birds of the race D. n. cuttingi have black on the whole of the throat and the uppermost breast, but further west or south the black increasingly becomes restricted to the chin.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Tristan Jobin · CC BY 4.0
Western House Martin (Delichon urbicum)

Western House Martin

Delichon urbicum

Tiny15 gUrban

The adult western house martin is 13 cm (5 in) long, with a wingspan of 26–29 cm (10–11+1⁄2 in) and a weight averaging 18.3 g (21⁄32 oz). It is steel-blue above with a white rump, and white underparts, including the underwings; even its short legs have white downy feathering. It has brown eyes and a small black bill, and its toes and exposed parts of the legs are pink. The sexes are similar, but the juvenile bird is sooty black, and some of its wing coverts and quills have white tips and edgings. D. u.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Western House Martin
Recorded by Philippe_Grange · Arrondissement de Châlons-en-Champagne (near Vienne-le-Château), Marne, Grand Est, France · CC0
Photo: Estormiz · CC0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Nepal House Martin and Western House Martin.