The pale crag martin is a small passerine bird in the swallow family that is resident in Northern Africa and in Southwestern Asia, east to Pakistan. It breeds mainly in the mountains, but also at lower altitudes, especially in rocky areas and around towns. Unlike most swallows, it is often found far from water. It is 12–13 cm long, with mainly brown plumage, paler-toned on the upper breast and underwing coverts, and with white "windows" on the spread tail in flight. The sexes are similar in appearance, but juveniles have pale fringes to the upperparts and flight feathers. It was formerly considered to be the northern subspecies of the rock martin of southern Africa, although it is smaller, paler, and whiter-throated than that species. The pale crag martin hunts along cliff faces for flying insects using a slow flight with much gliding. Its call is a soft twitter.
Region
North Africa, Middle East, and Southwest Asia
Typical Environment
The pale crag martin occupies arid and semi-arid landscapes from Morocco and Egypt across the Arabian Peninsula to Iran and Pakistan. It favors rocky terrain, cliffs, wadis, gorges, and escarpments, but it also thrives in towns and villages where it nests on buildings, bridges, and quarries. It is typically encountered away from open water and forages along vertical rock faces and canyon walls. Roosting occurs on sheltered ledges, under overhangs, and in man-made structures.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 3000 m
Climate Zone
Arid
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This plain, brownish swallow often hunts close to cliff faces where updrafts concentrate insects, and it readily uses buildings and bridges as artificial cliffs. In flight it shows distinctive white 'windows' near the tail corners and a shallowly forked tail. It was once treated as a subspecies of the rock martin but is smaller and paler with a cleaner throat. It is typically found far from open water, unlike many other swallows.
Desert towns like Aswan in Egypt provide man-made nest sites.
Eggs
Drawing by Richard Bowdler Sharpe
The tick Hyalomma marginatum has been found in pale crag martin nests.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
slow fluttering flight with frequent glides along cliffs
Social Behavior
Breeds solitarily or in loose colonies on cliff ledges and human structures, building open cup nests of mud and plant fibers. Pairs are territorial around the nest but may forage in small groups. Outside the breeding season, they often roost communally on sheltered ledges.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations are soft, twittering trills and chips, often given in flight. The call is unobtrusive and repeated, serving contact and social functions rather than elaborate song.
