Plain Martin

Riparia paludicola

Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
FamilyHirundinidae (Swallows and Martins)
GenusRiparia (Sand Martins, Plain Martins, and Allies)
SpeciesRiparia paludicola (Plain Martin)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

2 Verified sightings at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park From 2019 to 2026

3,977 Verified sightings across all 49 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ 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 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Ptyonoprogne fuligula

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Cecropis cucullata

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Hirundo rustica

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Petrochelidon spilodera

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Delichon urbicum

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Hirundo dimidiata

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Dicrurus adsimilis

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Plocepasser mahali

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Philetairus socius

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Lamprotornis nitens

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Laniarius atrococcineus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Bradornis mariquensis

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

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

← Back to Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Plain Martin

About the Plain Martin

Recent sightings of Plain Martin in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Closest Relatives at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Rock Martin

Greater Striped-Swallow

Barn Swallow

South African Swallow

House Martin

Pearl-breasted Swallow

Fork-tailed Drongo

White-browed Sparrow-Weaver

Social Weaver

Red-shouldered Glossy-starling

Crimson-breasted Gonolek

Mariqua Flycatcher

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found