The Case of the Missing House Martins

I love summer in Norfolk. My childhood memories are full of lazy summer days playing in the garden with my little brother. There is one animal which to me just seems synonymous with blue skies and perfect summer days, and that is the house martin. These little birds traveled thousands of miles each summer all the way from Africa to nest outside my bedroom window, bringing with them the promise of some of the sun that they left behind. 
This year I finished my university year and set off on my journey home, feeling much akin to the house martins. I was excited, knowing that they would have beaten me to it, would already be chirping outside my window every morning.

Flying in the sky with their playful flight

But they had not arrived.

They still haven’t. In fact, I have not seen a single house martin this summer. I miss their swooping flight and their chattering outside my window that greeted me every morning. It actually feels like part of summer is missing.

So where are they?

It could be that the birds just decided our house was rubbish and went elsewhere. But having not seen a single bird even flying past, I think this is unlikely.

It is not known where exactly in Africa these little birds overwinter. It is therefore possible that a factor at their overwintering grounds, or even a stopover on the migration route, drastically decreased their numbers. This could be a lack of food, probably linked to climate or some direct human intervention. Either way it looks like we are probably responsible for preventing their return. 

Lastly, there is a possibility that they are just late. If the insect food in the habitat in Africa lasted longer than normal due to a change in climate, then the cues for migrating might come later. I dearly hope that this is the case.

The eaves of the house are covered in nests like this one, empty of any birds.

Whether the birds appear later in the summer, when their breeding success will be reduced, or do not come back at all, this is a timely reminder of our influence on our environment and its far reaching consequences. How many children will have to be denied the wonderful wildlife that I experienced before something is done about it?

The case of the house martin also highlights the need for more research into the complex mechanisms behind migration, and how these are likely to be affected by changes in temperature, food availability and food timing.  The need to discover where the birds go in the winter using tracking devices such as geolocators is also really important, because it is then much easier to conserve the winter habitat. The birds do not just disappear when they leave us in the autumn, and knowing exactly where they go is vital for ensuring that they are back the next summer. I hope we are not too late.

Have you seen any house martins this summer? I would love to know, especially if you have! There is also a link to a survey here if you fancy helping to keep a record of these wonderful birds. If you have never really noticed them before then next time you go outside, look up and see if you can spot them in graceful, swooping flight. I really hope you can.