The Sand Martin

The sand martin is one of the strangest birds. Its habitat ranges from parts of Europe and North America. This bird is well adapted; resilient it is able to survive even in really harsh conditions. The sand martin got its name from its peculiar behaviour. These birds are one of the few birds which actually build nests in sandy hills. They live in burrows made in these sandy hills. The size of this bird is same as that of a sparrow. These birds are twelve centimetres long and are well camouflaged in the sandy hills. They have a dull colouring of their feathers to imitate the colour of the sand they live in. This bird has a brown upper body and white lower body. These birds are extremely sociable, they nest to gather. About a dozen birds nest to gather in the sandy hills. They build their nest by making holes in these sandy hills. They lay about four to five eggs at a time. These birds incubate their eggs for two weeks and they take care of their young for about three weeks. The main advantage of being sociable is protection. These birds are able to raise their young successfully by nesting socially. These birds eat a variety of insects. This bird shows how diverse the animal kingdom is. The different types of adaptations of these birds really tell a lot about the variety ecology has to offer. The ability to live in sandy hills gives a great advantage. These sandy hills give ample protection to these birds. Also the fact that these birds live in large colonies adds to their protection. They have grown feathers which are in pale colour to resemble the sandy hills. It will be really difficult to spot these clearly by birds of prey. Also the fact that these birds are nimble and quick in movement also helps in their protection. This is perhaps the main reason that this bird has thrived. They don’t have a lot of natural predators, the main reason for this is that its strong defences. It is really wonderful to observe this kind natural adaptations which help the species grow. This bird has evolved successfully and its adaptations have helped the bird to thrive and build a big population. This is quite evident as this bird can be spotted easily in its habitat and it is a species of least concern in the wild life welfare associations. This bird has adapted quickly to changing climates. In the recent years due to changing climates, increase in temperature and increase in the pollution, many species are finding it difficult to thrive. But in the case of the sand martin it is quick to adapt. It has so far has shown no signs of struggle or discomfort to the change in conditions. It will remain to be a favourite among the bird watchers. This bird is mainly an insectivore and it usually lives alongside the water bodies. There are mostly no natural dangers to this bird and it is found in large numbers. This bird is one of the species of least concern in many of the countries wild life welfare associations.