Brazza's martin is a passerine bird in the swallow family, Hirundinidae. It is 12 centimeters (4.7 in) long with grey-brown upperparts, heavily black-streaked white underparts, and a brownish tint to the breast plumage. The sexes are similar, but juvenile birds have more diffuse breast streaking and reddish-brown edges to the feathers of the back and wings. The song consists of a series of short notes of increasing frequency, followed by a complex buzz that is sometimes completed by a number of clicks.
Region
Central Africa
Typical Environment
Brazza's martin inhabits lowland river systems of the Congo Basin, frequenting broad rivers, oxbows, seasonally flooded forests, and nearby open clearings. It is most often seen over water and at forest edges where insect swarms are common. Breeding typically occurs in colonies along natural riverbanks and occasionally in man-made cuttings. Outside the breeding season, it ranges locally following insect availability and water levels. It may join mixed flocks of swallows and swifts over rivers and clearings.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Named after explorer Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza, this small martin is a central African swallow with boldly streaked underparts. It often nests in small colonies in riverbanks, taking advantage of exposed sand or loam. Though sometimes confused with the Mascarene martin, it is darker above and strictly African in range. Its song is a distinctive series of accelerating notes ending in a buzzy trill with occasional clicks.
Breeding habitat in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats interspersed with brief glides
Social Behavior
Typically forms small colonies during breeding, excavating or using short burrows in sandy or loamy riverbanks. Pairs are presumed monogamous, and both adults attend the nest. Outside breeding, it gathers in loose flocks and may roost communally on bankside vegetation or structures.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A short series of quick notes that increase in pitch and pace, culminating in a complex buzzy trill. The sequence may be capped by a few dry clicking sounds, especially during display or at the colony.
