Rock Martin
Rock MartinRock MartinRock MartinRock Martin

Rock Martin

Ptyonoprogne fuligula

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
5–10% · With luck
overall probability at Samburu National Reserve
60 Verified records at Samburu National Reserve
June Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The large rock martin (Ptyonoprogne fuligula), also known as the southern crag-martin, is a small passerine bird in the swallow family that is resident in southern Africa. It was formerly considered to be conspecific with the red-throated rock martin. It breeds mainly in the mountains, but also at lower altitudes, especially in rocky areas and around towns, and, unlike most swallows, it is often found far from water. It is 12–15 cm (4.7–5.9 in) long, with mainly brown plumage, paler-toned on the upper breast and underwing coverts, and with white "windows" on the spread tail in flight. The sexes are similar in appearance, but juveniles have pale fringes to the upperparts and flight feathers. The former northern subspecies are smaller, paler, and whiter-throated than southern African forms, and are now usually split as a separate species, the pale crag martin. Wikipedia →

5–10% of wildlife watchers report a Rock Martin sighting in Samburu National Reserve, based on 60 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Samburu National Reserve

Barn Swallow
LC

Barn Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hirundo rustica

20–30% · Possible
Wire-tailed Swallow
LC

Wire-tailed Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hirundo smithii

10–20% · With luck
Ethiopian Swallow
LC

Ethiopian Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hirundo aethiopica

<5% · Rare
Plain Martin
LC

Plain Martin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Riparia paludicola

<5% · Rare
House Martin
LC

House Martin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Delichon urbicum

<5% · Rare
Bank Swallow
LC

Bank Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Riparia riparia

<5% · Rare
Black Sawwing
LC

Black Sawwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Psalidoprocne pristoptera

Insufficient data
Lesser Striped-Swallow
LC

Lesser Striped-Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cecropis abyssinica

Insufficient data
Superb Starling
LC

Superb Starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lamprotornis superbus

70–80% · Very likely
White-browed Sparrow-Weaver
LC

White-browed Sparrow-Weaver

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Plocepasser mahali

70–80% · Very likely
White-headed Buffalo-Weaver
LC

White-headed Buffalo-Weaver

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dinemellia dinemelli

70–80% · Very likely
Fork-tailed Drongo
LC

Fork-tailed Drongo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dicrurus adsimilis

60–70% · Likely

📅 Monthly Probability

<5
Jan
<5
Feb
<5
Mar
<5
Apr
10–20
May
10–20
Jun
<5
Jul
5–10
Aug
5–10
Sep
10–20
Oct
5–10
Nov
10–20
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Waterberg Plateau Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
40–50%
2 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
30–40%
3 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
20–30%
4 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
20–30%
5 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
20–30%
6 Aberdare National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
20–30%
7 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
20–30%
8 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
20–30%
9 Bwindi Impenetrable National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
10–20%
10 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
10–20%
11 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
10–20%
12 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
10–20%
13 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
10–20%
14 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
10–20%
15 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
10–20%
16 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
10–20%
17 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
10–20%
18 Volcanoes National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
5–10%
19 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
5–10%
20 Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
5–10%
21 Kibale National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
5–10%
22 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
5–10%
23 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
5–10%
24 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
5–10%
25 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
5–10%
26 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
27 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
28 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
29 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
30 Nyungwe National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
<5%
31 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
32 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
33 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
34 Lake Mburo National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
35 Meru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
36 Bale Mountains National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
Insufficient data
37 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
38 Mikumi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
39 Semuliki National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
40 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
Insufficient data
41 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
42 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
43 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Rock Martin in Samburu National Reserve?

About 7% of wildlife watchers report a Rock Martin sighting in Samburu National Reserve, based on 60 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Rock Martin in Samburu National Reserve?

June has the highest sighting rate for Rock Martin in Samburu National Reserve in our monthly data.

← Back to Samburu National Reserve