common house martin
A migratory songbird, Delichon urbicum, known for its mud nests on buildings. In Japanese, the name is usually written in katakana as ニシイワツバメ.
The common house martin migrates from Europe in spring.
There is a common house martin's nest under the eaves of that building.
Katakana spelling is common for bird names; usually written in kana.
Kanji spelling exists but is rarely used; the bird is almost always written in kana.
The Japanese name ニシイワツバメ literally means 'western rock swallow,' referring to its nesting habits and western origin. The exact derivation is uncertain, but it is a descriptive compound.