African River Martin

Pseudochelidon eurystomina · Migratory passerine bird of the swallow family
Family
Order
Passeriformes
Codes
afrmar2, ARMA

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

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassAves
OrderPasseriformes
FamilySwallows (Hirundinidae)
SpeciesPseudochelidon eurystomina
Species Codesafrmar2, 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.