Brown-chested Martin

About the Brown-chested Martin

The brown-chested martin (Progne tapera) is a species of passerine bird in the family Hirundinidae, the swallows and martins. It is found regularly in Panama and every mainland South American country except Chile. It has been documented as a vagrant in Aruba and Chile and there are unconfirmed reports from the Falkland Islands. It is a casual visitor to Costa Rica and has been recorded in Florida, Massachusetts, and New Jersey.

The brown-chested martin was originally described in 1766 as Hirundo Tapera. It was later moved to genus Progne that had been erected in 1826. However, for much of the twentieth century it was placed by itself in genus Phaeoprogne before being restored to its present Progne.

The brown-chested martin has two subspecies, the nominate P. t. tapera (Linnaeus, 1766) and P. t. fusca (Vieillot, 1817). The brown-chested martin is 16 to 18 cm (6.3 to 7.1 in) long and weighs 30 to 40 g (1.1 to 1.4 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies have a mostly sandy brown head with a white chin and throat. Their upperparts are sandy brown. Their tail is slightly forked; it and their wings are a darker... Wikipedia →