River Martin - Distribution and Habitat

Distribution and Habitat

The two members of the subfamily have geographically separate ranges. The African River Martin breeds along the Congo and Ubangi rivers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is migratory, wintering in coastal savannah in southern Gabon and the Republic of Congo; it has recently been discovered to nest in beach ridges and grassland in its coastal wintering areas. The White-eyed River Martin is known only from its wintering site at Bueng Boraphet lake in Thailand, where it was seen between the months of November and February. It may be migratory, but its breeding grounds and habitat are unknown, although river valleys in Northern Thailand or south-western China are possibilities, as are Cambodia and Myanmar. However, doubts have been cast on whether it is actually migratory at all.

The African species' breeding habitat consists of forested rivers with islands with sandy shores for breeding. The nesting grounds of the White-eyed River Martin are unknown, but if the breeding habitat resembles that of its relative, it is likely to be the forested valleys of large rivers, which can provide sandbars and islands for nesting, and woodland over which the birds can catch insect prey. The African River Martin uses coastal savannah as its winter habitat. Based on its only known wintering site, the non-breeding habitat of the White-eyed is assumed to be in the vicinity of open fresh water for feeding, with reed-beds for the night-time roost.