Local Lifer #166

Western House-Martin

Another lifer from Harrison's Point in October! This marks my seventh sighting at that location during this month over the past three years. I spotted a Western House-Martin (Delichon urbicum) on the evening of the 23rd while on a field trip with members of the Tour Guide Workshop organized by Birds Caribbean at the Walkers Reserve. The bird was flying with other swallows and martins, and at first, I was puzzled by its appearance. It resembled a Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia) aka Sand Martin but had the white rump of a Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) —both species were also flying in the area. Thanks to the Merlin Bird ID app and local expert Ed Massiah, I was able to positively identify it.

Western House-Martins are small, swallow-like birds, measuring around 5 inches (13 cm) in length with a wingspan of 10-11.5 inches (26-29 cm). Males in breeding plumage feature a glossy blue crown and back, a white rump, white underparts, and a forked tail. In non-breeding plumage, they have white on their rump, face-sides, and throat, with brownish flanks. Females have a grayer underparts than males while juveniles are duller, browner, and have shorter tails.

It  breeds in Europe, north Africa and across the Palearctic; and winters in sub-Saharan Africa and tropical Asia with migration periods between September–October and April–May.  This species was first recorded at Harrison's Point in October 1999 (8 birds). There were two other records since then - Fosters, St. Lucy, November 2000 (1) and St. Bernard's Village, St. Joseph, June 2002 (1). (Birds of Barbados Buckley, Massiah et al.)