A black-and-white Eurasian songbird of the swallow family, often building its mud nest on the walls of buildings.
毛脚燕
Genus Delichon, family Hirundinidae: three species, in particular the widespread D. urbica
Example sentencesExamples
I can hear house martins chattering away in their nests under the eaves as I write these words.
These woodpeckers have also regularly attacked colonies of nesting house martins by clinging to the side of the inverted mud dome and chipping away a hold.
In dry conditions when wet mud is difficult to obtain swallows will take over old nests of other birds including house martins and blackbirds.
Some species, like swallows and house martins, are in decline and this exercise will help assess the state of their insect food source.
Even more resourceful are house martins nesting on ships.