Description
Both species are medium-sized (14–18 cm, 5.5–7.1 in), mainly black-plumaged swallows, unlikely to be confused with any other hirundinein their respective ranges. Adults of both species have large, blue-glossed heads, a green tinge to the body plumage, and brown wings. The sexes are similar in plumage. The White-eyed has elongated outer tail feathers, a whitish rump, a white eye and eye-ring, and a yellow bill. The African has a red eye-ring and bill and lacks a contrasting rump patch or tail streamers. The juveniles of both species are similar to the adults, but with brown heads, and young White-eyeds lack the long tail streamers of the adults.
The African River Martin has a chee chee or cheer-cheer-cheer call when it is flying in flocks. It is very vocal during migration, giving harsh gull-likecalls, and appears to have a jingling courtship song. No calls have been described for the White-eyed River Martin.
Read more about this topic: River Martin
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