Appearance:

Stocky martin with broad (but pointed) wings, broad tail and broad head. Mostly dusky brown with paler underparts, except almost black under wing-coverts, and fairly dark vent. Most tail-feathers with small, white "window" visible from below. Immature similar to adults, but with pale fringes to coverts. Flight less acrobatic than other martins, with frequent, long glides. Strays less away from breeding grounds than congeners.

Sound:

Most heard is a House Martin-like, but less rolling, "prit" or "check". Other contact sounds include a plaintive "peeuuu". Song an inconspicuous, staccato series of twittering notes, with a wagtail-like timbre.

Calls, song:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

Appearance:

Unmistakable in its habitat. Found by waterfalls and fast running streams. A compact and bulky bird with short wings and tail. Plumage black with brownish head (some with brown belly). Most conspicuous feature is the shiny white throat and chest. Juveniles grey instead of black, with dark barring. Constantly bobbing up and down with drooping wings when perched. White eyelid clearly visible when blinking.

Sound:

Contact call a short, metallic and explosive "zrreet", often betraying its presence perched among boulders or when flying up and down a stream. Song a mid tempo, staccato improvisation on contact call-like sounds. Not unlike a budgerigar. Both sexes sing, the female less melodic and more staccato than the male.

Song:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC