Delichon nipalense
The Nepal House Martin (Delichon nipalense) is a petite and agile passerine bird, a member of the swallow family Hirundinidae, known for its striking glossy blue-black upperparts that contrast sharply with pure white underparts and a distinctive white rump. Averaging around 13 cm in length, it possesses a short, deeply forked tail, a small bill, and relatively long wings adapted for its aerial lifestyle. This species is easily identified by its immaculate white throat, lacking the dark streak...
Primarily found in mountainous and hilly regions, often near cliffs, gorges, open forests, and sometimes human habitation at elevations typically between 1,000 and 4,000 meters.
Exclusively insectivorous, primarily consuming small flying insects such as flies, midges, beetles, and moths, which they catch with precision during continuous aerial hawking.
Nepal House Martins are diurnal and highly social, often forming large, active flocks outside the breeding season that roost communally on cliffs or man-made structures. They are expert aerial insectivores, employing agile, sweeping flight patterns to hawk insects mid-air, often foraging in group...
The Nepal House Martin's breeding and year-round range is primarily centered in the Himalayas and extends into mountainous regions of Southeast Asia. It is found from northern Pakistan and northern India eastward through Nepal, Bhutan, and northeastern India, into Myanmar, southern China (particu...
Least Concern
- The Nepal House Martin is one of only three species in the genus Delichon, alongside the Common House Martin and the Asian House Martin. - They are expert masons, constructing intricate, enclosed cup-shaped nests from mud pellets cemented with their saliva. - Despite their name, their range ext...