Description:

A large, stocky, pale grey-brown martin similar to Sand Martin. Upperparts and underwing-coverts dark brown, and has dusky throat, dusky brown flanks and vent, and more distinct pale fringes to undertail-coverts; blackish underwing-coverts contrast with rest of underwing. Shows white spots in tail when spread.

Distribution:

Common and widespread summer visitor all the districts of Gilgit-Baltistan. Normally found in mountains, close to cliff faces and over gorges, woodland and villages, up to 4500m; outside breeding at lower level farmland, meadows and lakes.

Behavior:

Flight slow, with frequent steady gliding. Flies back and forth along cliff face in sunny weather; at other times feeds over adjacent land; often flies below level of local dominant land surface, but also ascends high in thermals. Diet includes flies, stoneflies, caddis flies, beetles, bugs, butterflies and moths, ants and spiders; flies and small beetles seem to be main prey.

Photo Gallery:

Range & Occurrence:

Resident Species

Summer Breeder

Winter Visitor

Passage Migrant

Distribution Map of Eurasian Crag-Martin in Gilgit-Baltistan (Status: )

Seasonal Occurrence of Eurasian Crag-Martin

Resources:

Birds of Pakistan: Helm Field Guides (R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
The Birds of Pakistan (T. J. Roberts)
Birds of the Indian Subcontinent (C. Inskipp, R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide (P. Rasmussen & J. Anderton)
Birds of India: Collins Field Guide (N. Arlott)
Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan (S. Ali & S. D. Ripley)
Handbook of the Birds of the World (https://www.hbw.com)
The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 6th Edition
iNaturalist BoGB (inaturalist.org/projects/birds-of-gilgit-baltistan)
Birds of Gilgit-Baltistan (http://fb.me/birdsgb)

*Gallery images on this page are shared from flickr.com, and are copyrighted to their respective creators or owners.