Eurasian Crag-Martin Ptyonoprogne rupestris Scientific name definitions

14–15 cm; 17–33 g. Has brown-grey crown and upperparts, dark brown wings and tail; tail square , white spots on inner webs of feathers (except inner and outermost pairs, occasionally spots also on outer pair); chin and throat pale with dark speckling, pale buff breast grading into brown-grey belly and brown undertail-coverts; underwing-coverts blackish. Distinguished from very similar P. fuligula by generally darker coloration and usually larger size; from <em>Riparia riparia</em> by larger size, darker upperparts, underwing and undertail-coverts, white in tail, lack of breastband. Sexes alike. Juvenile has buffy feather edges, throat less dark than adult’s and with indistinct mottling.

S & SC Europe (S from S France, S Germany, Austria, Romania), NW Africa (Morocco E to Tunisia and NE Libya), and from Asia Minor, Caucasus and Near East (S to Israel) E to Iran, S Russia (E to SW Siberia) and N Mongolia and, in S, to Himalayas (from Pakistan to Bhutan) and W, N & SC China; winters in Mediterranean region, N & NE Africa (also Mauritania and Senegal), Middle East and S Asia.

Mountains, crags and coastal cliffs; also around human habitations. In Europe from sea-level to 2500 m, mostly 500–1000 m in alpine valleys on NE/SW slopes; to over 4500 m in Asia. Forages close to cliff faces and over gorges, woodland and villages; outside breeding season also over farmland, meadows, rocky coasts, swamps and lakes.

Populations in N of range generally migratory; resident in S. Forms post-breeding flocks of up to 400, sometimes associating with other hirundines, and roosts can number 1500–2000 birds (e.g. in caves in Gibralter). European breeders winter mainly in NW Africa but also Senegambia and Guinea-Bissau, Egypt, Red Sea coast and Ethiopia; some overwinter in N Mediterranean, especially on W side. Large passage movements over Strait of Gibralter Oct and Mar. Coastal Mediterranean populations resident, with local post-breeding movements; those breeding inland in Iberian and Balkan Peninsulas move to lower altitudes or the coast. Birds breeding farther E winter in Middle East, India and China; some Asian populations resident but disperse after breeding, e.g. in India and Nepal descends to lower altitudes (mostly below 2000 m) Oct–Mar; in Pakistan moves locally in N, sedentary in S. Vagrant farther N, e.g. in Finland and British Is.

Diet includes flies (Diptera), stoneflies (Plecoptera), caddis flies (Trichoptera), beetles (Coleoptera), bugs (Hemiptera), butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera), hymenopterans (ants and a wasp recorded) and spiders (Araneae); flies and small beetles seem to be main prey. Feeds in pairs or small groups. Flight slow, with frequent steady gliding. Flies back and forth along cliff face in sunny weather; at other times feeds over adjacent land; often flies below level of local dominant land surface, but also ascends high in thermals. Takes insects from rocks, and catches those disturbed as it flies past rock face. Occasionally perches on ground to feed and takes insects from water surface. Forages within 1·5 km of nest; feeding range in Spanish study was c. 0·2–0·25 km² when breeding and c. 1·5 km² in winter; birds roosting on Gibralter thought to feed within 5 km of roost-site.

Soft twittering song; calls include a contact call “prrrt”, low- and high-intensity alarm calls “zrrr”, “gsigsi”, an excitement call “whee”, an aggressive “rrr”; a series of notes is uttered during aerial chases of conspecifics.

May–Aug; two broods. Solitary, or in small groups of usually 2–20, in Spain average c. 4·5–6·1 pairs (range 1–40); a few larger colonies known, e.g. 60 pairs in Iran, and 25, 50 and 100 pairs in Switzerland, but possibly aggregations of smaller groups; inter-nest distance in groups 10–80 m, average 14·4–16·2 m in one study and 30·5 m in another; will nest with Alpine Swift (Tachymarptis melba), Cecropis daurica, Delichon urbicum and P. fuligula. Aggressive to intruders; defends area of c. 200–300 m². Nest built by both sexes, taking 9–20 days, an open half-cup made of mud pellets , lined with grass and feathers, female continues to add lining during incubation; placed in crevice or under overhang on cliff face, also on bridge, or on or in building such as house, hotel, hill fort, castle or church, mainly 6–25 m (range 1–40 m) above ground in one study; nests reused in same and successive seasons. Clutch 2–5 eggs, usually 3 or 4, once 6; incubation from final egg, almost solely by female, 5% by male, at one nest female left 1–6 times per hour, period 13–17 days; hatching synchronous, chicks brooded closely for first few days, mostly by female, then less constantly until c. 10–11 days, fed by both sexes, one feed every 2–5 minutes, nestling period 24–27 days; fledglings fed by parents for further 14–21 days, return to nest to roost.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Widespread and locally fairly common or common, e.g. throughout Mediterranean region. Distribution patchy and breeding irregular in N part of European range; nesting groups at least 1–5 km apart in Switzerland. Breeds only occasionally in Israel and Tunisia. In Europe, main population in Iberian Peninsula; since 1960s, range has been expanding N from Balkans and in Alps and Jura; increased use of bridges and buildings is allowing nesting away from mountain sites, e.g. in villages and towns.