Rock Martin
Ptyonoprogne fuligula
Also known as: Large Rock Martin
About This Species
A resident aerial insectivore of Africa and the southern Middle East, nesting on cliffs, gorges, and increasingly on buildings and bridges, where it hawks insects in low, looping flight close to the rock face. It is present year-round and easiest to watch at dawn or dusk when insect activity peaks near its nesting cliffs. Look for its slow, buoyant flight and pale, unstreaked underparts distinguishing it from swallows sharing the same cliffs.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Nesting cliffs should be viewed from below or at a distance rather than approached, since climbing near active mud nests can cause abandonment.
- Wildlife protection is governed separately by each range country, so rules on disturbing nest sites differ and should be checked locally rather than assumed.
- Avoiding loud noise or lingering directly beneath a nesting ledge during the breeding season is a reasonable precaution anywhere in its range.
LCAvesPasseriformesHirundinidae
Seasonal Activity
179,330 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Hirundinidae
Photo
(c) suemarsden, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by suemarsden
CC-BY-NC-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.