Sand Martin

Seen one? Add it to your free UK BirdedexHear its song and see the mapFree, no app download. Uncommon bird: +3 points when you log it.

Habitat and behaviour

Habitat: Riverbanks, sand quarries (summer).
Diet: Aerial insects.
Best time to spot: Earliest hirundine to arrive.

When to look

A summer visitor, typically in the UK from March to September. Numbers peak in April. See the April birding guide for what else is about. More on the season in Bird migration in Britain.

Taller bars mean more birds about. Grey means it is usually absent.

How rare is it?

The Sand Martin sits in our Uncommon tier for the UK: regular, but you usually need the right place or the right season. It is not on the Red or Amber lists in Birds of Conservation Concern 5.

Where to see it

Reserves where the Sand Martin is on the list:

• Rutland Water

Recent UK sightings

Similar birds

• Arctic SkuaUncommon · Northern moors (summer); sea (passage)
• Arctic TernUncommon · Northern coasts (summer)
• Atlantic PuffinUncommon · Sea-cliff burrows (summer)
• Black-legged KittiwakeUncommon · Sea-cliff ledges (summer)
• Common CuckooUncommon · Reedbeds
• Common GreenshankUncommon · Bogs (summer); estuaries (passage)

Tell it apart

Side-by-side ID guides: Swift vs Swallow vs House Martin.

Kit that helps

Bird ID starter kit. Affiliate links, our own picks, no extra cost to you.