Plain Martin Riparia paludicola Scientific name definitions
Revision Notes
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Species names in all available languages
Language | Common name |
---|---|
Afrikaans | Afrikaanse Oewerswael |
Arabic | خطاف بني الزور |
Bulgarian | Кафявогърла лястовица |
Catalan | oreneta de ribera africana |
Croatian | smeđa bregunica |
Czech | břehule hnědohrdlá |
Danish | Brunstrubet Digesvale |
Dutch | Vale Oeverzwaluw |
English | Plain Martin |
English (Bangladesh) | African Plain Martin |
English (India) | African Plain Martin |
English (South Africa) | Brown-throated Martin |
English (United Arab Emirates) | Brown-throated Martin |
English (United States) | Plain Martin |
French | Hirondelle paludicole |
French (France) | Hirondelle paludicole |
German | Braunkehl-Uferschwalbe |
Greek | Αφρικανικό Οχθοχελίδονο |
Hebrew | כוכית כהת-גרון |
Hungarian | Barnatorkú partifecske |
Icelandic | Sandsvala |
Japanese | アフリカショウドウツバメ |
Lithuanian | Mažoji urvinė kregždė |
Norwegian | brunstrupesandsvale |
Polish | brzegówka mała |
Portuguese (Angola) | Andorinha-das-barreiras-africana |
Portuguese (Portugal) | Andorinha-dos-charcos |
Romanian | Lăstun de mal brun |
Russian | Коричневогорлая береговушка |
Serbian | Afrička bregunica |
Slovak | brehuľa bahenná |
Slovenian | Rjavogrla breguljka |
Spanish | Avión Paludícola Africano |
Spanish (Spain) | Avión paludícola africano |
Swedish | brunstrupig backsvala |
Turkish | Esmer Kum Kırlangıcı |
Ukrainian | Ластівка мала |
Revision Notes
Guy M. Kirwan revised the account and standardized the content with Clements taxonomy. Peter F. D. Boesman contributed to the Sounds and Vocal Behavior page. Arnau Bonan Barfull curated the media.
Riparia paludicola (Vieillot, 1817)
Definitions
- RIPARIA
- riparia / riparium / riparius
- paludicola
- Paludicola
The Key to Scientific Names
Legend Overview
Introduction
The Plain Martin (or African Sand Martin) is a very widely distributed small hirundine with a shallowly forked tail and predominantly brown plumage. Over sub-Saharan Africa, the species often breeds at higher elevations, frequently in close proximity to waterbodies, especially larger rivers, and typically in small (occasionally large) colonies, using burrows that the birds usually excavate themselves. Like most Riparia martins, they forage for small airborne insects over open country, including water, and often associate with other hirundines including Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia), which is a winter visitor to much of the present species’ range. It was formerly considered conspecific with the Gray-throated Martin (Riparia chinensis) of South and East Asia. Quite a number of subspecies are recognized across mainland Africa, from Morocco and Ethiopia in the north, to South Africa in the south, but the formerly conspecific Madagascar Martin (Riparia cowani) is now treated as a separate species. Further taxonomic interest is pricked, given the very recently announced discovery of an apparently undescribed species of Riparia, closely related to the Plain Martin, but differing in its the all-white underparts, grayer upperparts, and a a dark mask in front of the eyes; the two even nest syntopically, sometimes in the same colonies (1, 2), much like Riparia riparia and Pale Martin (Riparia diluta) have recently been proven to do in Central Asia.