Photo: Francesco Veronesi from Italy / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Brown-throated Martin
Riparia paludicola
Brown-throated Martin (Riparia paludicola) — 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 Brown-throated Martin (Riparia paludicola) is a member of the Hirundinidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 13.5 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 Riparia
- Species paludicola
Quick facts
- Weight
- 13.5 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Hirundinidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Brown-throated Martin is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Brown-throated Martin is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Brown-throated Martin (Riparia paludicola) is a member of the Hirundinidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF widespread.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 13.5 g, with a wing length of about 10.1 cm and a tail of around 4.9 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 7 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Brown-throated Martin?
The Brown-throated Martin is a very small bird that weighs around 13.5 g.
Where does the Brown-throated Martin live?
The Brown-throated Martin is found across Africa with a range covering AF widespread, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Brown-throated Martin belong to?
The Brown-throated Martin (Riparia paludicola) belongs to the Hirundinidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Brown-throated Martin eat?
The Brown-throated Martin is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Brown-throated Martin migrate?
The Brown-throated Martin is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Brown-throated 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 Brown-throated Martin make?
1 real field recording of the Brown-throated 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 Brown-throated Martin's range?
The Brown-throated Martin has a mapped global range of about 7 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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