Photo: Derek Keats from Johannesburg, South Africa / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Banded Martin
Neophedina cincta
Banded Martin (Neophedina cincta) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Banded Martin (Neophedina cincta) is a member of the Hirundinidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 23.4 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Hirundinidae Swallows, Martins
- Genus Neophedina
- Species cincta
Quick facts
- Weight
- 23.4 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Hirundinidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Endangered
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Banded Martin is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Banded Martin is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Banded Martin (Neophedina cincta) is a species of bird in the Hirundinidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF widespread.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 23.4 g, with a wing length of about 13.1 cm and a tail of around 6.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 5.5 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Banded Martin?
The Banded Martin is a small bird that weighs around 23.4 g.
Where does the Banded Martin live?
The Banded Martin is found across Africa with a range covering AF widespread, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Banded Martin belong to?
The Banded Martin (Neophedina cincta) belongs to the Hirundinidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Banded Martin eat?
The Banded Martin is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Banded Martin migrate?
The Banded Martin is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Banded Martin endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Banded Martin make?
1 real field recording of the Banded Martin — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Banded Martin's range?
The Banded Martin has a mapped global range of about 5.5 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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