House martins grounded

14.07.2002

Ó Andrew Blow

Sue Blow phoned to ask what they should do about two fledgling house martins that had come down in the garden. They appeared to be fit and well, and the parent birds were feeding them. So my reply was to leave them alone but keep a watch for marauding cats. This was not a problem with a resident German shepherd (I nearly wrote Alsatian). The young martins spent two days hiding among the border plants and running out to beg for food when an adult landed nearby. Then they disappeared, presumably into the air and a normal life of chasing flies.

Adult house martins encourage their brood to leave the nest by repeatedly hovering at the entrance and calling. Sometimes it seems they do not get the timing quite right and the young come out too soon. After a short flutter and glide, they end up clinging to a wall or landing on the ground. I have heard of people trying to help these birds by attempting to launch them, but to no purpose. The instinct to fly was not yet fully developed.

For such an aerial bird as a house martin to be grounded sounds as serious as a fish out of water. These young martins ought to be doomed but they cope surprisingly well. They are more agile on their feet than one would expect and they have the instinct to hide under cover. Their parents continue to care for them, bringing food and encouraging them into the air with low passes. Eventually, something clicks and off the youngsters go, flying strongly and competently.