Sand martins are common summer visitors, arriving in March and leaving in October. They nest in colonies, digging burrows in steep, sandy cliffs, usually around water, so are commonly found on wetland sites. The tunnels they bore can be up to a metre in length. At a chamber at the end of the burrow, four or five eggs are laid on collected straw and feathers. Sand martins are sociable birds and will nest together in summer and gather to roost in large numbers in autumn; eventually they migrate to Africa to spend the winter.
Over the past 50 years, the European population of sand martins has crashed twice as a result of drought in their wintering grounds in Africa. Here, The Wildlife Trusts and other conservation organisations are working hard to look after these summer visitors by managing wetland habitats sympathetically and providing artificial nesting banks and man-made burrows at sites such as flooded gravel pits and old quarries. You can help by supporting your local Trust and becoming a member; you'll find out about exciting wildlife happenings, events on your doorstep and volunteering opportunities and be helping local wildlife along the way.
