Photo: Charles J. Sharp / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Brown-chested Martin
Progne tapera
Brown-chested Martin (Progne tapera) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found across 18 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Brown-chested Martin (Progne tapera) is a member of the Hirundinidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 32 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 Progne
- Species tapera
Quick facts
- Weight
- 32 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Hirundinidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Brown-chested 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 Brown-chested Martin is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Brown-chested Martin (Progne tapera) belongs to the Hirundinidae family of the order Passeriformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA widespread, also Panama.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 32 g, with a wing length of about 12.8 cm and a tail of around 6.3 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 8.2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Brown-chested Martin?
The Brown-chested Martin is a small bird that weighs around 32 g.
Where does the Brown-chested Martin live?
The Brown-chested Martin is found across South America with a range covering SA widespread, also Panama, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Brown-chested Martin belong to?
The Brown-chested Martin (Progne tapera) belongs to the Hirundinidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Brown-chested Martin eat?
The Brown-chested Martin is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Brown-chested Martin migrate?
The Brown-chested Martin is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Brown-chested 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-chested Martin make?
1 real field recording of the Brown-chested Martin — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Brown-chested Martin's range?
The Brown-chested Martin has a mapped global range of about 8.2 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.
Explore more birds
More in Hirundinidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Not Evaluated
Near Threatened
Extinct
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.