Wildlife Garden DecoBird House Martin 14.3 cm hand-carved for hanging

At a glance

• flying, hand-carved and hand-painted common house martin
• Model: Common house martin (Delichon urbicum)
• characteristic blue-black upper side and white underside
• white rump as an important identifying feature
• four different flight positions adjustable
• small eyelets on the back for hanging
• hand-painted with water-based paint
• Dimensions: 13.2 × 14.3 × 3 cm
• Weight: approx. 44 g
• for indoor use
• includes booklet with information about the bird species
• delivered in a closed box

Product details

• Brand: Wildlife Garden
• Series: DecoBird
• Bird species: Common house martin
• Scientific name: Delichon urbicum
• Item number: WG421
• EAN: 7350054760638
• Material: hand-carved wood
• Paint: water-based paint
• Length: 13.2 cm
• Width: 14.3 cm
• Height: 3 cm
• Weight: approx. 44 g
• Suspension: four different flight angles adjustable
• Use: indoor
• Packaging: closed box
• Other: booklet with information about the bird species

A swallow that belongs in the air

The common house martin is a bird whose typical body shape is best recognized in flight. Wildlife Garden therefore presents it with its wings spread and has designed the wooden figure specifically for hanging.

At only 44 g, it is extremely light. Thanks to its 14.3 cm wide flight silhouette, it still looks significantly larger than its low weight would initially suggest.

The common house martin – Delichon urbicum

The common house martin has a blue-black upper side and a white underside. A particularly important identifying feature is the conspicuous white rump above the tail.

The legs and feet are also white-feathered. Together with the light-colored underside, this creates a significantly different appearance compared to the barn swallow.

Common house martin or barn swallow?

Both species often live in the vicinity of humans and are therefore easily confused. However, those who look closely can easily distinguish them.

The common house martin has the characteristic white rump and a less deeply forked tail. The barn swallow, on the other hand, shows red-brown forehead and throat markings as well as significantly longer tail streamers.

The white rump in particular is a very helpful identifying feature for a flying common house martin.

A bird of our houses and buildings

The scientific species name "urbicum" already points to its close connection with human settlements. Common house martins prefer to build their nests on the outside of buildings, for example protected under roof overhangs.

The nest is built from many small portions of moist clay or mud, which are joined together by the birds.

Common house martins can be very sociable and breed in larger colonies.

Insect hunting in flight

Like other swallows, the common house martin is perfectly adapted to hunting flying insects. A large part of its food is caught directly during flight.

The slender body shape and long wings suit this way of life – and at the same time explain why a flying depiction is particularly appropriate for this DecoBird.

Four different flight positions

Wildlife Garden has come up with something special for the suspension. There are small eyelets on the back of the common house martin that can be inserted into four different holes.

Depending on which position is chosen, the angle at which the martin hangs changes. For example, it can be presented more straight, ascending, or in a more inclined flight position.

Several common house martins can thus be combined in a particularly interesting way, because not every figure has to hang in exactly the same posture.

13.2 × 14.3 cm at only 44 grams

The common house martin measures 13.2 × 14.3 × 3 cm and weighs only around 44 g.

The low height of only 3 cm shows very beautifully how flat and aerodynamic the figure is designed. The visual effect is created primarily by the spread wings.

Hand-carved and hand-painted

The common house martin is carved by hand from wood and then painted with water-based paints.

Crucial for this bird species are the clear black-and-white markings, the wing shape, and the striking white rump. Small differences in carving, wood grain, and painting are part of the artisanal production.

For indoor use

According to the current usage recommendation for the DecoBird series, the hand-carved and hand-painted common house martin is intended for indoor use.

Because it is hung up, it does not require a shelf or table space. It looks particularly beautiful in front of a window, on a branch, or freely in a room – individually or together with other flying DecoBirds.

With booklet about the bird species

Wildlife Garden includes a booklet with information about the bird species with the common house martin. The flying figure is delivered in a closed box.

My assessment

What I particularly like about the common house martin is that Wildlife Garden has not just carved a bird, but has given thought to its presentation. The four different flight angles are a small detail, but make a big difference for a flying swallow.

It is also zoologically interesting. Once you know that you have to look for the white rump, it is much easier to tell the common house martin and the barn swallow apart in the wild.

And it gets even more exciting when combined with the common swift: at first glance, they are just three dark, fast birds in the summer sky. However, if you look closer, the common house martin, barn swallow, and common swift are very different birds. The DecoBird series is wonderful at making exactly these kinds of differences visible.