Photo: Arthur Chapman / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Southern Martin
Progne elegans
Southern Martin (Progne elegans) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found across 16 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Southern Martin (Progne elegans) is a member of the Hirundinidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 50.6 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 elegans
Quick facts
- Weight
- 50.6 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Hirundinidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Southern 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 Southern Martin is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Southern Martin (Progne elegans) is a species of bird in the Hirundinidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA widespread.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 50.6 g, with a wing length of about 14.2 cm and a tail of around 7.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 1.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Southern Martin?
The Southern Martin is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 50.6 g.
Where does the Southern Martin live?
The Southern Martin is found across South America with a range covering SA widespread, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Southern Martin belong to?
The Southern Martin (Progne elegans) belongs to the Hirundinidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Southern Martin eat?
The Southern Martin is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Southern Martin migrate?
The Southern Martin is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Southern 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 Southern Martin make?
1 real field recording of the Southern 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 Southern Martin's range?
The Southern Martin has a mapped global range of about 1.3 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
Endangered
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Critically Endangered
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.