LC
Brazza's Martin Phedinopsis brazzae



Justification

Justification of Red List category
This species has a very large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). Despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing, the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size has not been quantified, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Population justification
The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is described as uncommon and local (del Hoyo et al. 2004).

Trend justification
There is no evidence that the population is declining (Mills and Cohen 2007).

Distribution and population

This species is found in west-central Africa where it is known from southern Democratic Republic of Congo from Bolobo and Kwamouth, south-east to Kananga, Lubilashi and Lubishi Rivers, near Salonga National Park (Mills and Cohen 2007), Luluabourg and elsewhere in the Kasai (Keith et al. 1992), southern Congo from the Congo River at Nganchu (near Ngabé), Gamakala (north of Brazzaville), and further away from the Congo River at Djambala (F. Dowsett-Lemaire 1997b), and the central highlands of Angola (Keith et al. 1992, Mills and Cohen 2007).

Ecology

the species is found near rivers and, in the non-breeding season, often associates with Lesser Striped-Swallow Hirundo abyssinica feeding over rivers on flying insects, e.g. termites (Chapin 1953). It nests in small groups in tunnels in sandy river-banks, the breeding season being July-October, at the beginning of the wet season before river-levels rises sufficiently to flood the nest-sites (Chapin 1953). It is not known to migrate (Chapin 1953). It appears to utilise open habitats, is suspected to be tolerant of some human-induced alteration of habitat.

Threats

Although few large colonies are known and it is almost undoubtedly subject to some human predation (F. Dowsett-Lemaire in litt. 1997), its large range and tolerance of degraded habitats probably mean that it is not under any immediate risk.

Acknowledgements

Text account compilers
Mahood, S., Wheatley, H., Shutes, S.


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Phedinopsis brazzae. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/brazzas-martin-phedinopsis-brazzae on 19/03/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org on 19/03/2024.