Crag Martin

Ptyonoprogne rupestris

Soaring along rugged cliffs and rocky outcrops, this agile flyer catches insects mid-air with remarkable precision.

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Visual Identification

Appearance

The Crag Martin is a small, compact swallow with a brownish-grey upper body and slightly paler underparts. Its tail is square-ended with distinctive white spots on the inner webs of all but the central and outermost tail feathers.

Both sexes look alike, with juveniles closely resembling adults but showing slightly paler edges to their wing coverts.

Size

Length

14cm to 15cm

Wingspan

32cm to 34cm

Weight

20g to 32g

Colours

Males and females have similar plumage

Primary Colour

Brown Grey

Secondary Colour

White

Beak Colour

Black

Leg Colour

Pink

Habitat and Distribution

Habitats

Woodland

The Crag Martin is not typically found in Woodland habitats.

Garden

The Crag Martin is not typically found in Garden habitats.

Wetland

The Crag Martin is not typically found in Wetland habitats.

Coastal

The Crag Martin is not typically found in Coastal habitats.

Urban

The Crag Martin can be found in Urban habitats.

Farmland

The Crag Martin is not typically found in Farmland habitats.

Grassland

The Crag Martin is not typically found in Grassland habitats.

Desert

The Crag Martin is not typically found in Desert habitats.

Tundra

The Crag Martin is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

Rainforest

The Crag Martin is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

Mountain

The Crag Martin can be found in Mountain habitats.

Savanna

The Crag Martin is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Distribution

Crag Martins inhabit rocky areas, including mountain cliffs, gorges, and coastal regions across southern Europe, North Africa, and parts of Asia. They have adapted well to urban environments, often nesting on buildings and bridges.

While primarily resident in warmer parts of their range, northern populations migrate south for winter. They are rare summer visitors in the UK, occasionally breeding on southern coastal cliffs.

Elevation Range

Sea level to 4,500 meters

Climate zones

Temperate, Mediterranean, Subtropical

Distribution Map

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Crag Martin. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons