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Eurasian Crag Martin (Ptyonoprogne rupestris) Alternate name(s): "Crag Martin" German name(s): "Felsenschwalbe" Size: 13-15 cm; wing span: 32-34.5 cm Body mass: 23 g (average)

Europe: Family Group 25 Family Group 25 Table Barn Swallow European Red-rumped Swallow Common House Martin Sand Martin Eurasian Crag Martin Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names European birds home page

Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Eurasian Crag Martins are the largest of the European martins, but still smaller than swallows. The plumage of the two sexes is identical. The cap and sides of the head are brownish-grey, as is the mantle, while most of the front, except for a dusky-streaked chin/throat, is light brownish-grey from chest to belly. The sides of the head are darker than the cap and neck. The undertail coverts are barred dusky-grey, while the fanned brownish-grey uppertail shows three white panels on both sides. The primaries are darker brownish-grey than the rest of the upperparts. The irises are dark; the short, pointy bill is dark-grey. The legs and feet are grey.

Taxonomy, classification See Eurasian Crag Martin at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Eurasian Crag Martin is available HERE . Eurasian Crag Martins are a partly sedentary, partly migratory species. They are sedentary to the North of the Atlas mountains, in the southern European mountain ranges, southern Asia Minor, the Mediterranean islands and two areas on the western Arabian peninsula. Elsewhere in the Atlas mountains, in parts of Portugal, along the lower river Nile and in Israel/Jordan they are winter migrants. On the northern slopes of the South European mountain ranges, the northern slopes of the Caucasus, in parts of south-eastern Europe, much of Asia Minor and in the highlands of southern central Asia they are breeding migrants. Part of the Asian population overwinters in western India. Eurasian Crag Martins are usually present only in southern Europe, up to the latitude of the Pyrenees, the Alps, the Balkans and the Caucasus. Sightings to the North of that regime are uncommon. They are sedentary on mountain slopes facing the Mediterranean Sea and summer migrants elsewhere throughout most of Spain, southern France, Italy, the Balkan states and Greece. They are also sedentary on basically all Mediterranean islands. Eurasian Crag Martins have a strong preference for terrain with steep mountain slopes and rocky surfaces.

Sightings Click here for sighting information J. Pires reports finding Eurasian Crag Martins regularly during the breeding season in the area of Mora, Evora, Portugal. Others were found overwintering at Embalse de Los Canchales, near Merida, Montijo, Spain, in December 2019. The species has also been found at Lagoa de Obidos, Obidos, Leiria, Portugal, in July 2020, and at Herdade do Esporao, Reguengos de Monsaraz, Evora, Portugal, in January 2023. G. Normand spotted Eurasian Crag Martins at Parc national de Calanque, near Marseille, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, France, in January 2021. Other photos shown here were obtained on the southern slopes of the Caucasus, just outside Europe proper.

Photos

ADULT

PAIR

Lateral view of a resting pair of Eurasian Crag Martins (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2022]

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Eurasian Crag Martin looking sideways (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Acude do Gameiro, Mora, Evora, Portugal, December 2024]

Near-lateral view of a Eurasian Crag Martin looking towards the observer; note the characteristic streaking on the chin/throat
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]

Near-lateral view of a Eurasian Crag Martin (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Lateral view of a Eurasian Crag Martin looking towards the observer (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Close-up lateral view of a Eurasian Crag Martin (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2017]

Lateral view of a Eurasian Crag Martin (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2022]

Lateral portrait of a Eurasian Crag Martin (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2019]

Lateral view of a Eurasian Crag Martin (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Acude do Gameiro, Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2025]

Lateral view of a Eurasian Crag Martin (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]

Lateral view of a Eurasian Crag Martin (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2018]

Lateral view of Eurasian Crag Martins (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, August 2020]

Near-dorsal view of a Eurasian Crag Martin holding on to a rockface (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a Eurasian Crag Martin (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2020]

Dorsal view of a Eurasian Crag Martin (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2020]

Near-lateral view of a Eurasian Crag Martin in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, July 2022]

Near-lateral/ventral view of a Eurasian Crag Martin in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Acude do Gameiro, Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2025]

Lateral view from above onto a Eurasian Crag Martin in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Lagoa de Obidos, Obidos, Leiria, Portugal, July 2020]

Lateral view from above onto a Eurasian Crag Martin in flight, here with a clear view of the white "windows" on its uppertail (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Herdade do Esporao, Reguengos de Monsaraz, Evora, Portugal, January 2023]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a Eurasian Crag Martin in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Herdade do Esporao, Reguengos de Monsaraz, Evora, Portugal, January 2023]

Dorsal view of a Eurasian Crag Martin banking to land (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil Dam, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2019]

Ventral view of a Eurasian Crag Martin in flight, showing clearly the characteristic prominent white "windows"
(photo courtesy of G. Normand)
[Parc national de Calanque, near Marseille, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, France, January 2021]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal view of a juvenile Eurasian Crag Martin (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, December 2013]

Frontal view of a juvenile Eurasian Crag Martin (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2019]

Lateral view of a juvenile Eurasian Crag Martin (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, August 2020]

Juvenile Eurasian Crag Martins resting on a ledge together with Common House Martins (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2019]

Breeding information

Breeding season: May - Aug

Eggs: 2 - 5

Incubation period: 13 - 17 days

Fledging age: 24 - 27 days

Except in the northern-most parts of their breeding range, Eurasian Crag Martins usually have two broods per season.

Nest building: Female & male

Incubation: Female

Dependent care: Female & male

Nest

Type: Mud nest in rock crevace

Material: Mud; feathers, dry grass lining

Height above ground: N/A

Eurasian Crag Martin sitting on its nest that is probably still under construction (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Castro Verde, Alentejo, Portugal, February 2023]

Eurasian Crag Martin perched at the entrance to its nest hollow (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]

Eurasian Crag Martin collecting mud for its nest (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2020]

Eggs

Size: 20 x 14 mm

Colour: White, with many small dark-brown to black speckles

Shape: Tapered oval

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal

Mobility: Partially migratory

Elementary unit: Pair/Flock

Food, Diet

Adults: Small insects

Dependents: As adults

Water intake: Daily(?)

Like all other swallows known to us, Eurasian Crag Martins are insect hunters. They feed in-flight on small insects.

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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