BARN SWALLOW x HOUSE MARTIN Hybrid at Gadebridge Park

Juvenile SWALLOW x HOUSE MARTIN Hybrid with C.200 Hirundines in rain
at N Gadebridge Park football pitch. 13/09/13

As I rode to work this morning in the drizzle I cut through the football pitch at the North end of Gadebridge Park, some gulls were resting so I stopped to check them out. As I got my binoculars out of my rucksack the drizzle got heavier & in dropped a flock of C.30 Hirundines from the North, staying to feed up, SWALLOWS mainly shooting low over the grass & HOUSE MARTINS wheeling around overhead.

My adrenaline suddenly started pumping as I picked out a Swallow with a whitish rump through the drizzle, hoping it was going to be a Red-rumped Swallow I tried my best to stay on it. From a fleeting glimpse of it face-on I noticed it had a slight pale area on the face, appearing mainly around the throat, perhaps less than I'd expect for a Red-rumped, but it was a terrible view so I couldn't be sure what I could see. I lost it for a few moments as it flew up to join the increasing number of Hirundines above me, now numbering C.60, & whilst trying to find it I noticed a MISTLE THRUSH feeding nearby on the football pitch. Now the drizzle had turned to rain & this prompted 8 MEADOW PIPITS to drop in from the NW, appearing to go down at the rough field at Howe Grove, near the horse stables at Fletcher Way, Highfield. I then glimpsed the 'light-rumped Swallow' again, skimming across the grass towards me from across the field. I got my bins back onto it & got a slightly better view of it's face, that's when I realised that unfortunately it wasn't a Red-rumped Swallow, but something interesting none-the-less. It was either a Barn Swallow x House Martin Hybrid or a Barn Swallow x Red-rumped Swallow Hybrid, but it was just too tricky to get a decent view in the rain. I lost the bird again & thought I wouldn't be able re-find it as by now the Hirundine flock above Gadebridge Lane had increased to C.200, & me, my binoculars, & my camera were very wet. But then from nowhere it came zipping past, closer than before. I managed to fire off some shots which was very hard as the bird was very fast in low light & I couldn't really see what I was doing in the rain, especially with water in my viewfinder. I then lost the bird & could not re-find it, the rain started to ease off leaving me completely soaked & the Hirundines started to move on, heading S over Gadebridge Park. I tried to analyse the photos in the field but I couldn't really see the preview on my camera as it was dripping wet, so I thought I would wait until I got to work to scrutinise my very poor record shots.

Once at the office, out of the rain & dried off, I looked at the photos keeping my mental notes in mind, & it immediately became apparent that it was a Juvenile BARN SWALLOW x HOUSE MARTIN Hybrid. It had a cleanish white rump, medium-short forked tail with no white spots & no white on the under-tail, no light patches on its nape, Juvenile Barn Swallow-like chest-band & paleish lower face, but without a noticeable pale forehead above the bill (making the bird appear pale-throated but with a dark fore-head). The bird was obviously round-bodied & plump, being shaped more like a House Martin, rather than having the slender, tapered body of a Swallow. Its movement & jizz were also different in comparison to the other Swallows feeding near it, with its wings not 'lapping'/flicking out as much as you'd expect from a feeding Swallow. I think I also may have heard this bird call, sounding more like a House Martin, but I couldn't say so for certain, when at one point the majority of the Hirundines were grouped together up high apart from this bird & about 3 other Swallows hunting low over the grass. As this bird passed me, when I took the photos, I heard what I was sure was a House Martin call close to me, but from what I could see all of the House Martins were too high up & far over Gadebridge Lane for me to hear, especially as it was raining, & the only other birds nearby being the few feeding Swallows.

So although not as rare as a pale-rumped Swallow could potentially be, a Barn Swallow x House Martin Hybrid is still a pretty rare bird. It is actually the first Swallow x Martin hybrid I have seen, as opposed to the usual aberrant or leucistic birds that are more regular, & was an exciting bird despite not turning out to be the long awaited Red-rumped Swallow I hoped to find. Here are my poor record shots taken in the rain at the time...

Juvenile SWALLOW x HOUSE MARTIN Hybrid with C.200 Hirundines in rain
at N Gadebridge Park football pitch. 13/09/13

Juvenile SWALLOW x HOUSE MARTIN Hybrid with C.200 Hirundines in rain
at N Gadebridge Park football pitch. 13/09/13
(Click to enlarge)

Juvenile SWALLOW x HOUSE MARTIN Hybrid with C.200 Hirundines in rain
at N Gadebridge Park football pitch. 13/09/13

Swallow x House Martin Hybrid or aberrant leucistic Swallow?

Discussion about this bird on BirdForum > HERE <.

Discussion about this bird on Surfbirds > HERE <.

Discussion about this bird on birding.uk.com > HERE <.

Discussion about this bird on Wild About Britain > HERE <.

Discussion about this bird on BirdGuides > HERE <.

Discussion about this bird on Facebook:-

Jason Ward Is it not an aberrant Swallow. No sign of any interbreeding from the photos.

Veloraptor HemelBirding Hi Jason, the rump is so neat & symmetrical & there was no sign of any white on the under-tail as in Swallow. It did also move slightly differently to the other swallows, its jizz was slightly less Swallow-like with the wings not 'lapping'/flicking out like a Swallow so much. It also showed no sign of pale on the forehead just above the bill like a young Swallow should. I did also think I heard it call more like a House Martin but couldn't be certain on that. I did also look at images online of hybrids & there are some pics that match perfectly. Cheers, Dan.
Jason Ward Okay, you done extremely well to hear it. I've looked briefly. I'll chat with Barry Reed and Alan H tonight. I'm not 100% sure its hybrid. Jay.
Veloraptor HemelBirding Ok Jason, thanks. Not 100% on the call, only at one point, all the Hirundines were up high before they started to move on, apart from this bird & about 3 other Swallows hunting low over the grass. As this bird passed me, when I took the shots I heard what I was sure was a House Martin call close to, but apart from the other Swallows in the field, from what I could see all of the House Martins were too high up & far over Gadebridge Lane for me to hear, especially as it was raining. Hope that helps. Let me know what their thoughts are. Dan.
Jason Ward Still think its aberrant Swallow.