Plain Martin
Plain MartinPlain MartinPlain MartinPlain Martin

Plain Martin

Riparia paludicola

Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Bale Mountains National Park
17 Verified sightings at Bale Mountains National Park From 2019 to 2026
3,977 Verified sightings across all 49 parks From 2019 to 2026
May Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Plain Martin

The brown-throated martin, brown-throated sand martin or plain martin (Riparia paludicola) is a small passerine bird in the swallow family, Hirundinidae, that is widely distributed across Africa. It was formerly regarded as conspecific with the grey-throated martin (Riparia chinensis) and the Madagascar martin (Riparia cowani).

The brown-throated martin was formally described in 1817 by the French ornithologist Louis Pierre Vieillot. He placed it in the genus Hirundo and coined the binomial name Hirundo paludicola. The specific epithet paludicola is Latin meaning "marsh-dweller" (from palus, paludis meaning "swamp" and -cola meaning "dweller". Vieillot based his account on "L'hirondelle à front roux" from South Africa that had been described and illustrated in 1806 by François Levaillant. The brown-throated martin is now one of six martins placed in the genus Riparia that was introduced in 1817 by the German naturalist Johann Reinhold Forster. It was formerly considered to be conspecific with the grey-throated martin (Riparia chinensis) and the Madagascar martin (Riparia cowani).

Six subspecies are recognised. They differ in size and plumage tones of the upperparts... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Bale Mountains National Park

House Martin
LC

House Martin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Delichon urbicum

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Black Sawwing
LC

Black Sawwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Psalidoprocne pristoptera

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Barn Swallow
LC

Barn Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hirundo rustica

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Red-chested Swallow
LC

Red-chested Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hirundo lucida

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Rock Martin
LC

Rock Martin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ptyonoprogne fuligula

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Eurasian Crag Martin
LC

Eurasian Crag Martin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ptyonoprogne rupestris

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Ethiopian Swallow
LC

Ethiopian Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hirundo aethiopica

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Abyssinian Thrush
LC

Abyssinian Thrush

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdus abyssinicus

Daily sighting probability ~90% · Very likely
Streaky Seedeater
LC

Streaky Seedeater

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Crithagra striolata

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely
Moorland Chat
LC

Moorland Chat

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pinarochroa sordida

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
Tacazze Sunbird
LC

Tacazze Sunbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Nectarinia tacazze

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
Baglafecht Weaver
LC

Baglafecht Weaver

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ploceus baglafecht

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~40%
2 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~40%
3 Aberdare National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~30%
4 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
~20%
5 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
~20%
6 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~20%
7 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
~10%
8 Awash National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
~10%
9 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
~10%
10 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
11 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
12 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
13 Ranomafana National Park 🇲🇬 Madagascar
~10%
14 Bale Mountains National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
~10%
15 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
16 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
17 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
18 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
<5%
19 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
20 Mikumi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
21 Lower Zambezi National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
<5%
22 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
23 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
24 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
<5%
25 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
<5%
26 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
27 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
28 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
<5%
29 Volcanoes National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
<5%
30 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
31 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
32 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
<5%
33 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
34 Kibale National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
35 Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
36 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
37 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
38 Nyungwe National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
<5%
39 Bwindi Impenetrable National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
40 Golden Gate Highlands National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
41 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
42 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
43 Meru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
44 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
45 Semuliki National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
46 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
Insufficient data
47 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
Insufficient data
48 Lake Mburo National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
49 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Plain Martin in Bale Mountains National Park?

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Plain Martin sighting in Bale Mountains National Park, based on 17 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Plain Martin in Bale Mountains National Park?

May has the highest sighting rate for Plain Martin in Bale Mountains National Park in our monthly data.

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