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African river martin

The African river martin (Pseudochelidon eurystomina) is a passerine bird, one of two members of the river martin subfamily of the swallow family, Hirundinidae. When discovered, it was not initially recognised as a swallow, and its structural differences from most of its relatives, including its stout bill and robust legs and feet, have led to its current placement in a separate subfamily shared only with the Asian white-eyed river martin. The African river martin is a large swallow, mainly black with a blue-green gloss to the head and a greener tint to the back and wings. The under-wings are brownish, the underparts are purple-black, and the flight feathers are black. This martin has red eyes, a broad orange-red bill and a black, square tail. Young birds are similar in appearance to the adults, but have browner plumage. This species has a variety of unmusical calls, and displays both in flight and on the ground, although the purpose of the terrestrial display is unknown.

African river martin
Illustration from 1861 Ibis article.
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Hirundinidae
Genus: Pseudochelidon
Species:
P. eurystomina
Binomial name
Pseudochelidon eurystomina
   Breeding range in DRC
   Present all year in Gabon and Republic of the Congo
(ranges are very approximate)

The main breeding areas are in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) along the Congo River and its tributary, the Ubangi, in habitats characterised by a mixture of tropical forest types including swampy or seasonally flooded woodland. The African river martin is migratory, wintering in coastal savanna in southern Gabon and the Republic of the Congo. Breeding also occurs in these coastal areas, but it is unknown whether the migrants are raising a second brood or if there is a separate resident population. This martin feeds in flocks throughout the year, catching a variety of insects in the air, especially flying ants. It does not use perches during the breeding season, although it will often land on the ground.

The African river martin nests in burrows in river sand banks, often alongside rosy bee-eaters, but its incubation and fledging times are not known. It also digs tunnels for night-time shelter when in its wintering areas. It appears to be common within its restricted range, despite being caught in large numbers by the local population for food, and large flocks are sometimes seen. However, due to a lack of detailed information about its breeding range and population numbers, this species is classed as Data Deficient by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Taxonomy Edit

When German zoologist Gustav Hartlaub first described the African river martin in 1861, it was not initially thought to be a member of the swallow and martin family, and he placed it with the rollers.[2] Later authors either placed it in its own monotypic family, or with the woodswallows. A 1938 study of this martin's anatomy by Percy Lowe revealed that the species was closest to the swallows and martins, but sufficiently distinct from them to be placed in a separate subfamily, Pseudochelidoninae.[3][4]

The only other member of the subfamily is the white-eyed river martin Pseudochelidon sirintarae, known only from one site in Thailand and possibly extinct. These two species possess a number of features which distinguish them from other swallows and martins, including their robust legs and feet, stout bills, large syrinxes (vocal organs) and different bronchial structure.[3] Genetic studies confirmed that the two river martins form a distinct clade from the typical swallows in the subfamily Hirundininae.[5]

The two river martins are in some ways intermediate between typical swallows and other passerine birds,[6] and the arrangement of their leg muscles is more like that of a typical passerine than of a swallow.[7] The extent of their differences from other swallows and the wide geographical separation of these two martins suggest that they are relict populations of a group of species that diverged from the main swallow lineage early in its evolutionary history.[3] Like other early hirundine lineages, these martins nest in self-excavated burrows, rather than adopted nest holes or mud nests.[8] Their physical characteristics and breeding behaviour suggest that they may be the most primitive of the swallows.[6]

The genus name Pseudochelidon (Hartlaub, 1861) comes from the Ancient Greek language prefix ψευδο/pseudo, meaning "false", and χελιδον/chelidôn, meaning "swallow".[9] The species name reflects the superficial similarity to the rollers of the genus Eurystomus.[10]

The African and Asian Pseudochelidon species differ markedly in the size of their bills and eyes, suggesting that they have different feeding ecologies, with the white-eyed river martin probably able to take much larger prey.[3] The African species has a softer, fleshier, and much less prominent gape (fleshy interior of the bill) than its Thai relative.[11] The bill of the white-eyed river martin also averages 22.5% wider than that of the African river martin. Following a suggestion by the Thai bird's discoverer, Kitti Thonglongya,[12] Richard Brooke proposed in 1972 that the white-eyed river martin was sufficiently different from the African species to be placed in a separate genus Eurochelidon,[13] leaving the African river martin in a monotypic genus. This treatment was contested by other authorities,[14][15][16] and most authors retain the two species in Pseudochelidon,[11][17][18] BirdLife International being a notable exception.[19]

Description Edit

The adult African river martin is a large swallow, 14 cm (5.5 in) long. It is mainly black, with a silky blue-green gloss to the head, becoming distinctly green on the back and wing coverts. The underparts, other than the brownish under-wings, are purple-black, and the flight feathers are black. The black square tail is 4.8 cm (1.9 in) long,[3] and the soft feather shafts project beyond the barbed section. This feature is most pronounced in the two central feathers,[2] which in the related white-eyed river martin are greatly elongated.[17] The African river martin has brown legs with a 1.5 cm (0.59 in) long tarsus, red eyes, pink eye-rings, and a broad orange-red bill. The wing length averages 14 cm (5.5 in).[3]

The sexes are similar in appearance.[3] There are many bird species in which there is sexual dichromatism that is not apparent to the human eye, but spectroscopic analysis of this martin's head feathers suggests that the colour differences between the sexes are small even to the birds' perception.[20] Juveniles are duller and have sooty brown heads. The moult to adult plumage takes place in the wintering areas and is largely complete by October.[3]

The African river martin has a strong, fast flight interspersed with glides. It is a vocal species with a variety of sounds. It has a jingling song given in the aerial breeding display, and a number of contact calls, kee-r-r, chee-chee and similar short, unmusical sounds. Flocks call together, cheer-cheer-cheer, as they take to the air, and this martin is very vocal during migration, giving harsh gull-like calls.[3]

Distribution and habitat Edit

 
Congo River near Maluku

The African river martin breeds along the Congo River and its tributary, the Ubangi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), an area estimated at 47,000 km2 (18,150 mi2).[1] This part of Africa is poorly known, and this martin may also breed on other tributaries, such as the Kasai, or on other suitable rivers. It also breeds in southern Gabon and the Republic of the Congo. The DRC breeding population is migratory, wintering in coastal savanna in Gabon, but it is not known if the birds nesting at the coast are a separate population, or if the migrants are breeding again in the wintering area.[1][3][21] Westwards migration from the DRC is from June to early September, with birds arriving at the coast from mid-August to mid-September. Return migration is mainly from December to March. Three or four birds were seen passing through the southern Central African Republic in 1994.[1]

This martin's breeding requirement is forested rivers with islands that have sandy banks for nest burrows,[1] and its habitat in the DRC is tropical forest with over 200 cm (78.5 in) of rain a year. This area is a patchwork of dry, seasonally flooded and permanently wet woodland, and seasonally flooded savanna, all of which are subject to inundation by the Congo River and its tributaries. The swamp forests contain trees such as Symphonia globulifera, raffia palms and Mitragyna species, and the riverbanks are often lined with arrowroot. This specialised habitat is shared with two other restricted-range birds, the Congo sunbird and the Congo martin.[22] The main coastal breeding area in Gabon, around Gamba, has a similar mosaic of habitats, with mangroves, swamp forests, wet evergreen woodlands and seasonally wet savanna. There are also two large lagoons, and drier areas of grassland and forest.[23] All the breeding areas form part of a belt of forest that stretches from southern Cameroon through Gabon to the northern parts of the Republic of Congo, and extends through most of the DRC up to its eastern mountains.[24] Outside of the breeding season, this martin roosts in reed-beds or riverine vegetation.[1]

Behaviour Edit

 
Adult (foreground) and juvenile

The African river martin has flight displays in which pairs or small groups chase each other while making jingling calls. It also displays on the ground, with the wings drooped and slightly open, and the head raised but held horizontally; the function of these terrestrial displays is uncertain. This species nests in colonies in sandbanks along forested rivers from December to April when the river is low. The colonies, sometimes shared with rosy bee-eaters in Gabon, may contain up to 800 birds, each pair excavating a 1–2 m (39–79 in) long tunnel in the sandbar. Two to four unspotted white eggs are laid onto a few twigs and leaves in the pocket at the end of the tunnel. The eggs measure 21.9 mm–26.0 mm × 16.4 mm–18.2 mm (0.86 in–1.02 in × 0.65 in–0.72 in). The incubation and fledging times are unknown, although it is believed that both parents care for the nestlings.[3]

In the breeding areas, this martin rarely uses perches other than the ground, and once it has landed, it may walk around or cleanse itself with the sand. It feeds in flocks often far from the colony. Wintering birds use elevated perches much more readily, landing on treetops, wires and roofs, and feed in flight over rivers and forests, often far from water. The flocks feed on insects including flies, small beetles and bugs,[3] but mainly on winged ants.[25] Wintering birds dig tunnels in the sand in which to roost overnight.[3]

Status Edit

The total population size of the African river martin is unknown. In the late 1980s, it appeared to be common, if local, and large numbers were seen on migration in Gabon. However, it is particularly poorly studied in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and it is not known if there is any relationship between the birds breeding in the DRC and those breeding in coastal areas of Gabon and Congo. Several hundred birds were seen at Conkouati-Douli National Park in Congo in 1996 and a flock of 15,000 birds was seen in Gabon in 1997.[1] Investigations in Gabon in September 2003 extended the known range of this martin. More than 300 birds were found with hundreds of rosy bee-eaters in the Omboué area and the newly established Iguéla National Park,[26] and a mixed flock with rosy bee-eaters at Loango National Park in Gabon was estimated at 100,000 birds in total.[1] In January 2010, 250 martins were seen at a new location in Bakoumba, and single birds were observed in hirundine flocks near Moanda, at Mounana, and at Lekoni.[26] Despite sightings of large flocks and a population which may exceed 100,000,[3] the species is classed by the IUCN as Data Deficient due to the lack of detailed information on its range and numbers.[1]

This species is protected under national laws in the DRC (Loi portant réglémentation de la chasses, 1985),[27] and Gabon (Loi d'orientation en matière des eaux et forêts, 1982 and Loi relative à la protection et à l'amélioration de l'environnement, 1993),[28] and by regional legislation in Nigeria,[29] which does not have national wildlife laws.[30] The Nigerian laws are based directly on older colonial era laws which include a number of species, such as this martin, which are not native to the country.[29] The African river martin is not a protected species in the Republic of Congo.[31]

In the 1950s, this martin was caught and eaten in large quantities in the DRC by the local population, and this practice could be increasing.[1] The African river martins and the bee-eaters with which they share their colonies are dug out of the breeding burrows for food.[32] Breeding colonies in river sandbars are liable to flooding,[1] but thousands of birds were breeding on the grasslands east of Gamba as recently as 2005.[33]

References Edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k BirdLife International (2016). "Pseudochelidon eurystomina". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22712036A94316261. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22712036A94316261.en.
  2. ^ a b c Hartlaub, Gustav (1861). "Ueber einige neue Vögel Westafrica's". Journal für Ornithologie (in German). 9 (1): 12. doi:10.1007/BF02002444. S2CID 37517718.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Turner & Rose (1989) pp. 85–86.
  4. ^ Lowe, P R (1938). "Some anatomical notes on the genus Pseudochelidon (Hartlaub) with reference to its taxonomic position". Ibis. 2 (3): 429–437. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919x.1938.tb00576.x.
  5. ^ Sheldon, Frederick H; Whittingham, Linda A; Moyle, Robert G; Slikas, Beth; Winkler, David W (2005). "Phylogeny of swallows (Aves: Hirundinidae) estimated from nuclear and mitochondrial DNA". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 35 (1): 254–270. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2004.11.008. PMID 15737595.
  6. ^ a b Olson, S L (1973). "A classification of the Rallidae". Wilson Bulletin. 65: 381–416.
  7. ^ Gaunt, Abbot S (1969). "Myology of the leg in swallows" (PDF). The Auk. 86 (1): 41–53. doi:10.2307/4083540. JSTOR 4083540.
  8. ^ Winkler, David W; Sheldon, Frederick H (1993). "Evolution of nest construction in swallows (Hirundinidae): A molecular phylogenetic perspective" (PDF). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 90 (12): 5705–5707. Bibcode:1993PNAS...90.5705W. doi:10.1073/pnas.90.12.5705. PMC 46790. PMID 8516319.
  9. ^ "Scientific bird names explained". uk.r.b. from the original on 9 December 2007. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  10. ^ Hartlaub, Gustav (1861). "Dr G Hartlaub on a new bird from W Africa". Ibis. 3 (12): 321–323. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919X.1861.tb08850.x.
  11. ^ a b Tobias, Joe (2000). "Little known Oriental Bird: White-eyed River-Martin: 1". Oriental Bird Club Bulletin. 31: 45–48.
  12. ^ Kitti, Thonglongya (1968). "A new martin of the genus Pseudochelidon from Thailand". Thai National Scientific Papers, Fauna Series No. 1: 3–10.
  13. ^ Brooke, Richard (1972). "Generic limits in Old World Apodidae and Hirundinidae". Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club. 92: 53–57.
  14. ^ Zusi, Richard L (1978). "Remarks on the generic allocation of Pseudochelidon sirintarae". Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club. 98 (1): 13–15.
  15. ^ Turner & Rose (1989) pp. 5–6.
  16. ^ Collar et al. (2001) pp. 1942–1947.
  17. ^ a b Turner & Rose (1989) pp. 86–88.
  18. ^ . IOC World Bird List version 3.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Archived from the original on 6 August 2012. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
  19. ^ "BirdLife International Species factsheet:Eurochelidon sirintarae ". BirdLife International. Retrieved 23 October 2012.
  20. ^ Eaton, Muir D (2005). "Human vision fails to distinguish widespread sexual dichromatism among sexually "monochromatic" birds". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 102 (31): 10942–10946. Bibcode:2005PNAS..10210942E. doi:10.1073/pnas.0501891102. PMC 1182419. PMID 16033870.
  21. ^ Rand, A L; Friedmann, H; Traylor M A Jr (1959). "Birds from Gabon and Moyen Congo". Fieldiana: Zoology. 41 (2): 223–411.
  22. ^ World Wildlife Fund; Sigsgaard, Lene; McGinley, Mark "Eastern Congolian swamp forests 17 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine" in Cleveland, Cutler J (ed.) (2006) Encyclopedia of Earth Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment. Retrieved 4 November 2012.
  23. ^ "Gamba Protected Areas Complex". Important Bird Areas. BirdLife International. Retrieved 4 November 2012.
  24. ^ Wilks (1990) pp. 19–20.
  25. ^ Fry, C H (1992). "Myrmecophagy by Pseudochelidon eurystomina and other African birds". Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club. 112A: 87–97.
  26. ^ a b . Gabon. African Bird Club. Archived from the original on 23 June 2012. Retrieved 6 November 2012.
  27. ^ IUCN (1986) pp. 515–518.
  28. ^ Christy, Patrice. "Gabon" in Fishpool & Evans (2001) pp. 349–356.
  29. ^ a b IUCN (1986) pp. 426–431.
  30. ^ Anadu, P A (1987). "Wildlife conservation in Nigeria: Problems and strategies". Environmentalist. 7 (3): 211–220. doi:10.1007/BF02233594. S2CID 84408830.
  31. ^ "Protected Species in Republic of Congo". Projet d'appui à l'Application de la Loi sur la Faune sauvage. Retrieved 3 November 2012.
  32. ^ Mills, Michael S L; Cohen, Callan (2007). "Brazza's Martin Phedina brazzae: new information on range and vocalisations". Ostrich. 78 (1): 51–54. doi:10.2989/OSTRICH.2007.78.1.8.52. S2CID 54629328.
  33. ^ Angehr, G R; Schmidt, B K; Njie, F; Gebhard, C (2005). "Significant records and annotated site lists from bird surveys in the Gamba Complex, Gabon" (PDF). Malimbus. 27: 72.

Cited texts Edit

  • Collar, N J; Andreev, A V; Chan, S; Crosby, M J.; Subramanya, S; Tobias, J A, eds. (2001). Threatened Birds of Asia; The BirdLife International Red Data Book. BirdLife International. ISBN 0-946888-44-2.
  • Fishpool, D C; Evans, Michael I, eds. (2001). Important Bird Areas in Africa and Associated Islands: Priority Sites for Conservation. BirdLife International. ISBN 1-874357-20-X.
  • IUCN (1986). African Wildlife Laws. IUCN. ISBN 2-88032-091-7.
  • Turner, Angela K; Rose, Chris (1989). A Handbook to the Swallows and Martins of the World. Helm Identification Guides. Christopher Helm. ISBN 0-7470-3202-5.
  • Wilks, Chris (1990). La conservation des ecosystèmes forestiers du Gabon (in French). IUCN. ISBN 2-88032-988-4.

External links Edit

  • Videos on the Internet Bird Collection
  • Calls at Xeno-canto

african, river, martin, pseudochelidon, eurystomina, passerine, bird, members, river, martin, subfamily, swallow, family, hirundinidae, when, discovered, initially, recognised, swallow, structural, differences, from, most, relatives, including, stout, bill, ro. The African river martin Pseudochelidon eurystomina is a passerine bird one of two members of the river martin subfamily of the swallow family Hirundinidae When discovered it was not initially recognised as a swallow and its structural differences from most of its relatives including its stout bill and robust legs and feet have led to its current placement in a separate subfamily shared only with the Asian white eyed river martin The African river martin is a large swallow mainly black with a blue green gloss to the head and a greener tint to the back and wings The under wings are brownish the underparts are purple black and the flight feathers are black This martin has red eyes a broad orange red bill and a black square tail Young birds are similar in appearance to the adults but have browner plumage This species has a variety of unmusical calls and displays both in flight and on the ground although the purpose of the terrestrial display is unknown African river martinIllustration from 1861 Ibis article Conservation statusData Deficient IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass AvesOrder PasseriformesFamily HirundinidaeGenus PseudochelidonSpecies P eurystominaBinomial namePseudochelidon eurystominaHartlaub 1861 2 Holotype from Gabon Breeding range in DRC Present all year in Gabon and Republic of the Congo ranges are very approximate The main breeding areas are in the Democratic Republic of the Congo DRC along the Congo River and its tributary the Ubangi in habitats characterised by a mixture of tropical forest types including swampy or seasonally flooded woodland The African river martin is migratory wintering in coastal savanna in southern Gabon and the Republic of the Congo Breeding also occurs in these coastal areas but it is unknown whether the migrants are raising a second brood or if there is a separate resident population This martin feeds in flocks throughout the year catching a variety of insects in the air especially flying ants It does not use perches during the breeding season although it will often land on the ground The African river martin nests in burrows in river sand banks often alongside rosy bee eaters but its incubation and fledging times are not known It also digs tunnels for night time shelter when in its wintering areas It appears to be common within its restricted range despite being caught in large numbers by the local population for food and large flocks are sometimes seen However due to a lack of detailed information about its breeding range and population numbers this species is classed as Data Deficient by the International Union for Conservation of Nature IUCN Contents 1 Taxonomy 2 Description 3 Distribution and habitat 4 Behaviour 5 Status 6 References 7 Cited texts 8 External linksTaxonomy EditWhen German zoologist Gustav Hartlaub first described the African river martin in 1861 it was not initially thought to be a member of the swallow and martin family and he placed it with the rollers 2 Later authors either placed it in its own monotypic family or with the woodswallows A 1938 study of this martin s anatomy by Percy Lowe revealed that the species was closest to the swallows and martins but sufficiently distinct from them to be placed in a separate subfamily Pseudochelidoninae 3 4 The only other member of the subfamily is the white eyed river martin Pseudochelidon sirintarae known only from one site in Thailand and possibly extinct These two species possess a number of features which distinguish them from other swallows and martins including their robust legs and feet stout bills large syrinxes vocal organs and different bronchial structure 3 Genetic studies confirmed that the two river martins form a distinct clade from the typical swallows in the subfamily Hirundininae 5 The two river martins are in some ways intermediate between typical swallows and other passerine birds 6 and the arrangement of their leg muscles is more like that of a typical passerine than of a swallow 7 The extent of their differences from other swallows and the wide geographical separation of these two martins suggest that they are relict populations of a group of species that diverged from the main swallow lineage early in its evolutionary history 3 Like other early hirundine lineages these martins nest in self excavated burrows rather than adopted nest holes or mud nests 8 Their physical characteristics and breeding behaviour suggest that they may be the most primitive of the swallows 6 The genus name Pseudochelidon Hartlaub 1861 comes from the Ancient Greek language prefix pseydo pseudo meaning false and xelidon chelidon meaning swallow 9 The species name reflects the superficial similarity to the rollers of the genus Eurystomus 10 The African and Asian Pseudochelidon species differ markedly in the size of their bills and eyes suggesting that they have different feeding ecologies with the white eyed river martin probably able to take much larger prey 3 The African species has a softer fleshier and much less prominent gape fleshy interior of the bill than its Thai relative 11 The bill of the white eyed river martin also averages 22 5 wider than that of the African river martin Following a suggestion by the Thai bird s discoverer Kitti Thonglongya 12 Richard Brooke proposed in 1972 that the white eyed river martin was sufficiently different from the African species to be placed in a separate genus Eurochelidon 13 leaving the African river martin in a monotypic genus This treatment was contested by other authorities 14 15 16 and most authors retain the two species in Pseudochelidon 11 17 18 BirdLife International being a notable exception 19 Description EditThe adult African river martin is a large swallow 14 cm 5 5 in long It is mainly black with a silky blue green gloss to the head becoming distinctly green on the back and wing coverts The underparts other than the brownish under wings are purple black and the flight feathers are black The black square tail is 4 8 cm 1 9 in long 3 and the soft feather shafts project beyond the barbed section This feature is most pronounced in the two central feathers 2 which in the related white eyed river martin are greatly elongated 17 The African river martin has brown legs with a 1 5 cm 0 59 in long tarsus red eyes pink eye rings and a broad orange red bill The wing length averages 14 cm 5 5 in 3 The sexes are similar in appearance 3 There are many bird species in which there is sexual dichromatism that is not apparent to the human eye but spectroscopic analysis of this martin s head feathers suggests that the colour differences between the sexes are small even to the birds perception 20 Juveniles are duller and have sooty brown heads The moult to adult plumage takes place in the wintering areas and is largely complete by October 3 The African river martin has a strong fast flight interspersed with glides It is a vocal species with a variety of sounds It has a jingling song given in the aerial breeding display and a number of contact calls kee r r chee chee and similar short unmusical sounds Flocks call together cheer cheer cheer as they take to the air and this martin is very vocal during migration giving harsh gull like calls 3 Distribution and habitat Edit nbsp Congo River near MalukuThe African river martin breeds along the Congo River and its tributary the Ubangi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo DRC an area estimated at 47 000 km2 18 150 mi2 1 This part of Africa is poorly known and this martin may also breed on other tributaries such as the Kasai or on other suitable rivers It also breeds in southern Gabon and the Republic of the Congo The DRC breeding population is migratory wintering in coastal savanna in Gabon but it is not known if the birds nesting at the coast are a separate population or if the migrants are breeding again in the wintering area 1 3 21 Westwards migration from the DRC is from June to early September with birds arriving at the coast from mid August to mid September Return migration is mainly from December to March Three or four birds were seen passing through the southern Central African Republic in 1994 1 This martin s breeding requirement is forested rivers with islands that have sandy banks for nest burrows 1 and its habitat in the DRC is tropical forest with over 200 cm 78 5 in of rain a year This area is a patchwork of dry seasonally flooded and permanently wet woodland and seasonally flooded savanna all of which are subject to inundation by the Congo River and its tributaries The swamp forests contain trees such as Symphonia globulifera raffia palms and Mitragyna species and the riverbanks are often lined with arrowroot This specialised habitat is shared with two other restricted range birds the Congo sunbird and the Congo martin 22 The main coastal breeding area in Gabon around Gamba has a similar mosaic of habitats with mangroves swamp forests wet evergreen woodlands and seasonally wet savanna There are also two large lagoons and drier areas of grassland and forest 23 All the breeding areas form part of a belt of forest that stretches from southern Cameroon through Gabon to the northern parts of the Republic of Congo and extends through most of the DRC up to its eastern mountains 24 Outside of the breeding season this martin roosts in reed beds or riverine vegetation 1 Behaviour Edit nbsp Adult foreground and juvenileThe African river martin has flight displays in which pairs or small groups chase each other while making jingling calls It also displays on the ground with the wings drooped and slightly open and the head raised but held horizontally the function of these terrestrial displays is uncertain This species nests in colonies in sandbanks along forested rivers from December to April when the river is low The colonies sometimes shared with rosy bee eaters in Gabon may contain up to 800 birds each pair excavating a 1 2 m 39 79 in long tunnel in the sandbar Two to four unspotted white eggs are laid onto a few twigs and leaves in the pocket at the end of the tunnel The eggs measure 21 9 mm 26 0 mm 16 4 mm 18 2 mm 0 86 in 1 02 in 0 65 in 0 72 in The incubation and fledging times are unknown although it is believed that both parents care for the nestlings 3 In the breeding areas this martin rarely uses perches other than the ground and once it has landed it may walk around or cleanse itself with the sand It feeds in flocks often far from the colony Wintering birds use elevated perches much more readily landing on treetops wires and roofs and feed in flight over rivers and forests often far from water The flocks feed on insects including flies small beetles and bugs 3 but mainly on winged ants 25 Wintering birds dig tunnels in the sand in which to roost overnight 3 Status EditThe total population size of the African river martin is unknown In the late 1980s it appeared to be common if local and large numbers were seen on migration in Gabon However it is particularly poorly studied in the Democratic Republic of the Congo DRC and it is not known if there is any relationship between the birds breeding in the DRC and those breeding in coastal areas of Gabon and Congo Several hundred birds were seen at Conkouati Douli National Park in Congo in 1996 and a flock of 15 000 birds was seen in Gabon in 1997 1 Investigations in Gabon in September 2003 extended the known range of this martin More than 300 birds were found with hundreds of rosy bee eaters in the Omboue area and the newly established Iguela National Park 26 and a mixed flock with rosy bee eaters at Loango National Park in Gabon was estimated at 100 000 birds in total 1 In January 2010 250 martins were seen at a new location in Bakoumba and single birds were observed in hirundine flocks near Moanda at Mounana and at Lekoni 26 Despite sightings of large flocks and a population which may exceed 100 000 3 the species is classed by the IUCN as Data Deficient due to the lack of detailed information on its range and numbers 1 This species is protected under national laws in the DRC Loi portant reglementation de la chasses 1985 27 and Gabon Loi d orientation en matiere des eaux et forets 1982 and Loi relative a la protection et a l amelioration de l environnement 1993 28 and by regional legislation in Nigeria 29 which does not have national wildlife laws 30 The Nigerian laws are based directly on older colonial era laws which include a number of species such as this martin which are not native to the country 29 The African river martin is not a protected species in the Republic of Congo 31 In the 1950s this martin was caught and eaten in large quantities in the DRC by the local population and this practice could be increasing 1 The African river martins and the bee eaters with which they share their colonies are dug out of the breeding burrows for food 32 Breeding colonies in river sandbars are liable to flooding 1 but thousands of birds were breeding on the grasslands east of Gamba as recently as 2005 33 References Edit a b c d e f g h i j k BirdLife International 2016 Pseudochelidon eurystomina IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016 e T22712036A94316261 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2016 3 RLTS T22712036A94316261 en a b c Hartlaub Gustav 1861 Ueber einige neue Vogel Westafrica s Journal fur Ornithologie in German 9 1 12 doi 10 1007 BF02002444 S2CID 37517718 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Turner amp Rose 1989 pp 85 86 Lowe P R 1938 Some anatomical notes on the genus Pseudochelidon Hartlaub with reference to its taxonomic position Ibis 2 3 429 437 doi 10 1111 j 1474 919x 1938 tb00576 x Sheldon Frederick H Whittingham Linda A Moyle Robert G Slikas Beth Winkler David W 2005 Phylogeny of swallows Aves Hirundinidae estimated from nuclear and mitochondrial DNA Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 35 1 254 270 doi 10 1016 j ympev 2004 11 008 PMID 15737595 a b Olson S L 1973 A classification of the Rallidae Wilson Bulletin 65 381 416 Gaunt Abbot S 1969 Myology of the leg in swallows PDF The Auk 86 1 41 53 doi 10 2307 4083540 JSTOR 4083540 Winkler David W Sheldon Frederick H 1993 Evolution of nest construction in swallows Hirundinidae A molecular phylogenetic perspective PDF Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 90 12 5705 5707 Bibcode 1993PNAS 90 5705W doi 10 1073 pnas 90 12 5705 PMC 46790 PMID 8516319 Scientific bird names explained uk r b Archived from the original on 9 December 2007 Retrieved 1 November 2012 Hartlaub Gustav 1861 Dr G Hartlaub on a new bird from W Africa Ibis 3 12 321 323 doi 10 1111 j 1474 919X 1861 tb08850 x a b Tobias Joe 2000 Little known Oriental Bird White eyed River Martin 1 Oriental Bird Club Bulletin 31 45 48 Kitti Thonglongya 1968 A new martin of the genus Pseudochelidon from Thailand Thai National Scientific Papers Fauna Series No 1 3 10 Brooke Richard 1972 Generic limits in Old World Apodidae and Hirundinidae Bulletin of the British Ornithologists Club 92 53 57 Zusi Richard L 1978 Remarks on the generic allocation of Pseudochelidon sirintarae Bulletin of the British Ornithologists Club 98 1 13 15 Turner amp Rose 1989 pp 5 6 Collar et al 2001 pp 1942 1947 a b Turner amp Rose 1989 pp 86 88 Waxwings to swallows IOC World Bird List version 3 2 International Ornithologists Union Archived from the original on 6 August 2012 Retrieved 22 October 2012 BirdLife International Species factsheet Eurochelidon sirintarae BirdLife International Retrieved 23 October 2012 Eaton Muir D 2005 Human vision fails to distinguish widespread sexual dichromatism among sexually monochromatic birds Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 102 31 10942 10946 Bibcode 2005PNAS 10210942E doi 10 1073 pnas 0501891102 PMC 1182419 PMID 16033870 Rand A L Friedmann H Traylor M A Jr 1959 Birds from Gabon and Moyen Congo Fieldiana Zoology 41 2 223 411 World Wildlife Fund Sigsgaard Lene McGinley Mark Eastern Congolian swamp forests Archived 17 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine in Cleveland Cutler J ed 2006 Encyclopedia of Earth Environmental Information Coalition National Council for Science and the Environment Retrieved 4 November 2012 Gamba Protected Areas Complex Important Bird Areas BirdLife International Retrieved 4 November 2012 Wilks 1990 pp 19 20 Fry C H 1992 Myrmecophagy by Pseudochelidon eurystomina and other African birds Bulletin of the British Ornithologists Club 112A 87 97 a b News Gabon African Bird Club Archived from the original on 23 June 2012 Retrieved 6 November 2012 IUCN 1986 pp 515 518 Christy Patrice Gabon in Fishpool amp Evans 2001 pp 349 356 a b IUCN 1986 pp 426 431 Anadu P A 1987 Wildlife conservation in Nigeria Problems and strategies Environmentalist 7 3 211 220 doi 10 1007 BF02233594 S2CID 84408830 Protected Species in Republic of Congo Projet d appui a l Application de la Loi sur la Faune sauvage Retrieved 3 November 2012 Mills Michael S L Cohen Callan 2007 Brazza s Martin Phedina brazzae new information on range and vocalisations Ostrich 78 1 51 54 doi 10 2989 OSTRICH 2007 78 1 8 52 S2CID 54629328 Angehr G R Schmidt B K Njie F Gebhard C 2005 Significant records and annotated site lists from bird surveys in the Gamba Complex Gabon PDF Malimbus 27 72 Cited texts EditCollar N J Andreev A V Chan S Crosby M J Subramanya S Tobias J A eds 2001 Threatened Birds of Asia The BirdLife International Red Data Book BirdLife International ISBN 0 946888 44 2 Fishpool D C Evans Michael I eds 2001 Important Bird Areas in Africa and Associated Islands Priority Sites for Conservation BirdLife International ISBN 1 874357 20 X IUCN 1986 African Wildlife Laws IUCN ISBN 2 88032 091 7 Turner Angela K Rose Chris 1989 A Handbook to the Swallows and Martins of the World Helm Identification Guides Christopher Helm ISBN 0 7470 3202 5 Wilks Chris 1990 La conservation des ecosystemes forestiers du Gabon in French IUCN ISBN 2 88032 988 4 External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pseudochelidon eurystomina nbsp Wikispecies has information related to Pseudochelidon eurystomina Videos on the Internet Bird Collection Calls at Xeno canto Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title African river martin amp oldid 1126397903, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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