Rock Martin
Rock MartinRock MartinRock MartinRock Martin

Rock Martin

Ptyonoprogne fuligula

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
10–20% · With luck
overall probability at Table Mountain National Park
599 Verified records at Table Mountain National Park
February 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 →

10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Rock Martin sighting in Table Mountain National Park, based on 599 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Table Mountain National Park

Black Sawwing
LC

Black Sawwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Psalidoprocne pristoptera

5–10% · With luck
Barn Swallow
LC

Barn Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hirundo rustica

5–10% · With luck
Greater Striped-Swallow
LC

Greater Striped-Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cecropis cucullata

5–10% · With luck
White-throated Swallow
LC

White-throated Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hirundo albigularis

5–10% · With luck
Plain Martin
LC

Plain Martin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Riparia paludicola

<5% · Rare
Pearl-breasted Swallow
LC

Pearl-breasted Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hirundo dimidiata

<5% · Rare
Bank Swallow
LC

Bank Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Riparia riparia

Insufficient data
Banded Martin

Banded Martin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Riparia cincta

Insufficient data
House Martin
LC

House Martin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Delichon urbicum

Insufficient data
Red-winged Starling
LC

Red-winged Starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Onychognathus morio

70–80% · Very likely
🐦 No photo available
LC

Cape White-eye

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Zosterops virens

70–80% · Very likely
Southern Double-collared Sunbird
LC

Southern Double-collared Sunbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cinnyris chalybeus

70–80% · Very likely

📅 Monthly Probability

10–20
Jan
10–20
Feb
10–20
Mar
5–10
Apr
5–10
May
10–20
Jun
10–20
Jul
10–20
Aug
10–20
Sep
5–10
Oct
10–20
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 Table Mountain National Park?

About 12% of wildlife watchers report a Rock Martin sighting in Table Mountain National Park, based on 599 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Rock Martin in Table Mountain National Park?

February has the highest sighting rate for Rock Martin in Table Mountain National Park in our monthly data.

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