Banded martin

Introduction: Banded martins (Riparia cincta) inhabit dry grasslands, shrubland and pastures as well as marshes. They perch singly or in pairs on fences, flat grounds, telegraph poles and twigs on top of bushes.

Distribution: Etosha National Park, Epupa Falls, Caprivi Strip. Absent from southern and western Namibia.

Diet: Eats insects by foraging slowly over grass where antelope, cattle and zebra graze.

Description: Dark greyish brown upper parts, wings, rump and tail. Paler back than the upper wings. Underwing coverts white, chin and throat silky white. Horizontal brown breast band on upper breast. Cincta means 'banded' or 'girdled'.

Breeding: Females lay 2 to 4 eggs in a burrow excavated in a sand bank.

Size: 17cm.

Weight: 26g.