Progne tapera
The Brown-chested Martin (*Progne tapera*) is a medium-sized New World swallow, measuring approximately 17-18 cm (6.7-7.1 in) in length and weighing 35-46 grams (1.2-1.6 oz). Its most distinctive field mark is a broad, dark brown breast band that sharply contrasts with pure white underparts and flanks, separating it from its congeners. Upperparts, head, and sides of the chest are a uniform sooty-brown, often appearing dark against the sky, while a prominent white rump patch is conspicuous, pa...
This adaptable martin thrives in open country, including grasslands, savannas, agricultural fields, and human-modified landscapes, often found near bodies of water. It occurs from sea level up to approximately 2000 meters in elevation.
This species is an obligate aerial insectivore, feeding primarily on a wide variety of flying insects caught in mid-air.
Brown-chested Martins are diurnal and highly social birds, frequently forming large communal roosts, especially outside the breeding season, sometimes numbering in the thousands. They are expert aerial insectivores, foraging with agile, direct flight, often soaring at various heights to catch fly...
The Brown-chested Martin boasts a vast geographic distribution across South America, primarily east of the Andes, extending from northern Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, northward through Brazil, Bolivia, and eastern Peru, reaching the Guianas, Venezuela, and Colombia. Its breeding range also e...
Least Concern
- The Brown-chested Martin is famously known for often nesting in the abandoned mud nests of the Rufous Hornero, a South American ovenbird. - It is one of the most widespread and common swallows in South America, spanning a vast range east of the Andes. - Unlike most other New World martins in th...