At this time of year Scotland is playing host to many summer visitors, including large gatherings of Swifts, Swallows and martins. These fast fliers can be hard to tell apart, so here we share five facts about Sand Martins to help you out.
Sand Martins are the smallest of the hirundines (martins and swallows) that we get in Scotland, and they are the only ones to be brown and white, rather than black and white like House Martins and Swallow, or all black like Swifts. They have a pale underside, with a dark band just under the head.
Sand Martins spend their summers here in Scotland, arriving from around March. They are very sociable and like to nest in large groups, you can see them swooping low over water together during the day. After their chicks have fledged, they return to Africa to spend the winter there.
Ben Andrew
As the name suggests, they nest in sandy river banks, cliffs, gravel pits or in artificial nesting walls. They will use their feet to dig long tunnels into the cliffs, ending with a chamber lined with plant material and feathers, providing a safe place to lay eggs and raise chicks.
Andy Hay
In mainland Scotland, you can see Sand Martins along many of our rivers and wetlands. Baron’s Haugh nature reserve is a great day out if you’re on the lookout for these small but mighty birds!
They are what they eat. Sand Martins are well adapted to catch and eat insects on the wing. Their large wings and forked tails make them very agile and fast fliers, and although their beaks are small, their mouths are wide. They often fly together over the water, giving the impression of a swarm of large, feathery insects!
Ben Hall
Main image by Ben Andrew