About the African River Martin
The African river martin is a passerine bird, one of two members of the river martin subfamily of the swallow family, Hirundinidae. When discovered, it was not initially recognised as a swallow, and its structural differences from most of its relatives, including its stout bill and robust legs and feet, have led to its current placement in a separate subfamily shared only with the Asian white-eyed river martin. The African river martin is a large swallow, mainly black with a blue-green gloss to the head and a greener tint to the back and wings. The under-wings are brownish, the underparts are purple-black, and the flight feathers are black. This martin has red eyes, a broad orange-red bill and a black, square tail. Young birds are similar in appearance to the adults, but have browner plumage. This species has a variety of unmusical calls, and displays both in flight and on the ground, although the purpose of the terrestrial display is unknown.
Source: Wikipedia
Taxonomy & Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Passeriformes |
| Family | Swallows (Hirundinidae) |
| Species | Pseudochelidon eurystomina |
| Species Codes | afrmar2, ARMA |
Frequently Asked Questions
What family does the African River Martin belong to?
The African River Martin (Pseudochelidon eurystomina) belongs to the Swallows family (Hirundinidae), in the order Passeriformes.
How can I identify the African River Martin?
The African river martin is a passerine bird, one of two members of the river martin subfamily of the swallow family, Hirundinidae. When discovered, it was not initially recognised as a swallow, and its structural differences from most of its relatives, including its stout bill and robust legs and f...
Where can I report a African River Martin sighting?
You can log sightings of African River Martin on eBird (ebird.org) using species code afrmar2, or on iNaturalist.