Plain Martin
Plain MartinPlain MartinPlain MartinPlain Martin

Plain Martin

Riparia paludicola

Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
at Nairobi National Park
482 Verified sightings at Nairobi National Park From 2019 to 2026
3,977 Verified sightings across all 49 parks From 2019 to 2026
August 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 Nairobi National Park

Banded Martin

Banded Martin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Riparia cincta

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Bank Swallow
LC

Bank Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Riparia riparia

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Lesser Striped-Swallow
LC

Lesser Striped-Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cecropis abyssinica

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Rock Martin
LC

Rock Martin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ptyonoprogne fuligula

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Barn Swallow
LC

Barn Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hirundo rustica

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Black Sawwing
LC

Black Sawwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Psalidoprocne pristoptera

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Wire-tailed Swallow
LC

Wire-tailed Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hirundo smithii

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Mosque Swallow
LC

Mosque Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cecropis senegalensis

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
House Martin
LC

House Martin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Delichon urbicum

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Gray-rumped Swallow
LC

Gray-rumped Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pseudhirundo griseopyga

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Common Bulbul
LC

Common Bulbul

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pycnonotus barbatus

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
Long-tailed Fiscal
LC

Long-tailed Fiscal

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lanius cabanisi

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 Nairobi National Park?

About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Plain Martin sighting in Nairobi National Park, based on 482 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

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

August has the highest sighting rate for Plain Martin in Nairobi National Park in our monthly data.

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