Grey-breasted martin: Difference between revisions

{{Short description|Species of bird}}

{{Speciesbox

| name = Grey-breasted martin

| image = Progne chalybea - 2021.jpg

| image_caption = In the [[Sierra Madre de Chiapas moist forests]] ecoregion

| status = LC

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2020 |title=''Progne chalybea'' |volume=2020 |page=e.T22712110A137689287 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T22712110A137689287.en |access-date=12 November 2021}}</ref>

| genus = Progne

| species = chalybea

| authority = ([[Johann Friedrich Gmelin|Gmelin, JF]], 1789)

| range_map = Progne chalybea map.svg

| range_map_caption = {{leftlegend|#FF7F2A|Breeding}}{{leftlegend|#8d5fd3|Year-round}}

The '''grey-breasted martin''' ('''''Progne chalybea''''') is a large [[Hirundinidae|swallow]] from Central and South America.

==Taxonomy==

In 1760 the French zoologist [[Mathurin Jacques Brisson]] included a description of the grey-breasted martin in the second volume of his ''Ornithologie'' based on a specimen collected in [[Cayenne]], French Guiana. He used the French name ''L'hirondelle de Cayenne'' and the Latin name ''Hirundo Cayanensis''.<ref>{{ cite book | last=Brisson | first=Mathurin Jacques | author-link=Mathurin Jacques Brisson | year=1760 | title=Ornithologie, ou, Méthode Contenant la Division des Oiseaux en Ordres, Sections, Genres, Especes & leurs Variétés | volume=2 | language=French, Latin | page=495 | location=Paris | publisher=Jean-Baptiste Bauche | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/36011842 }} The two stars (**) at the start of the section indicates that Brisson based his description on the examination of a specimen.</ref> Although Brisson coined Latin names, these do not conform to the [[Binomial nomenclature|binomial system]] and are not recognised by the [[International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature]].<ref name=allen>{{cite journal |last=Allen | first=J.A. | author-link=Joel Asaph Allen | year=1910 | title=Collation of Brisson's genera of birds with those of Linnaeus |journal=Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History |volume=28 | pages=317–335 | hdl=2246/678 | url=https://digitallibrary.amnh.org/handle/2246/678}}</ref> The grey-breasted martin was subsequently described by the French polymath, the [[Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon|Comte de Buffon]], in 1779 and by the English ornithologist [[John Latham (ornithologist)|John Latham]] in 1783. Latham used the English name "Chalybeate swallow" but neither Buffon nor Latham introduced a scientific name.<ref>{{ cite book | last=Buffon | first=Georges-Louis Leclerc de | author-link=Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon | year=1779 | title=Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux | volume=6 | location=Paris | publisher=De l'Imprimerie Royale | pages=675–676 | chapter=L'hirondelle de Cayenne | language=French | chapter-url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k1069718q/f753.item }}</ref><ref>{{ cite book | last1=Buffon | first1=Georges-Louis Leclerc de | author1-link=Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon | last2=Martinet | first2=François-Nicolas | author2-link=François-Nicolas Martinet | last3=Daubenton | first3=Edme-Louis | author3-link=Edme-Louis Daubenton | last4=Daubenton | first4=Louis-Jean-Marie | author4-link=Louis-Jean-Marie Daubenton | year=1765–1783 | chapter=Hirondelle de Cayenne | title=Planches Enluminées D'Histoire Naturelle | volume=6 | location=Paris | publisher=De L'Imprimerie Royale | at=Plate 545, Fig. 2 | chapter-url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/35214295 }}</ref><ref>{{ cite book | last=Latham | first=John | author-link=John Latham (ornithologist) | year=1783 | title=A General Synopsis of Birds | volume=2, Part 2 | publisher=Printed for Leigh and Sotheby | location=London | page=574, No. 22 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/33730656 }}</ref>

The German naturalist [[Johann Friedrich Gmelin]] included the grey-breasted martin when he revised and expanded [[Carl Linnaeus]]'s ''[[Systema Naturae]]'' in 1789. He placed it with the swallows in the [[genus]] ''[[Hirundo]]'' and coined the [[binomial nomenclature|binomial name]] ''Hirundo chalybea''.<ref>{{ cite book | last=Gmelin | first=Johann Friedrich | author-link=Johann Friedrich Gmelin| year=1789 | title=Systema naturae per regna tria naturae : secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis | edition=13th | volume=1, Part 2 | language=Latin | location=Lipsiae [Leipzig] | publisher=Georg. Emanuel. Beer | page=1026 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2656521 }}</ref> The specific epithet ''chalybea'' is [[Latin]] meaning "steely".<ref>{{cite book | last=Jobling | first=James A. | year=2010| title=The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names | publisher=Christopher Helm | location=London | isbn=978-1-4081-2501-4 | page=98 | url=https://archive.org/stream/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling#page/n98/mode/1up }}</ref> The grey-breasted martin is now one of nine species placed in the genus ''[[Progne]]'' that was introduced in 1826 by the German zoologist [[Friedrich Boie]].<ref name=ioc>{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor1-link=Frank Gill (ornithologist) | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | editor3-last=Rasmussen | editor3-first=Pamela | editor3-link=Pamela Rasmussen | date=January 2023 | title=Swallows | work=IOC World Bird List Version 13.1 | url=https://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/swallows/ | publisher=International Ornithologists' Union | access-date=21 May 2023 }}</ref>

The three [[subspecies]] and their distributions are:<ref name=ioc/>

* ''P. c. chalybea'' ([[Johann Friedrich Gmelin|Gmelin]], 1789) – [[Nominate subspecies#Nominotypical subspecies and subspecies autonyms|nominate]], breeds from [[Mexico]] through [[Central America]] south to central [[Brazil]], and on [[Trinidad]]

* ''P. c. warneri'' [[Allan Robert Phillips|Phillips, A.R.]], 1986 – found in western Mexico

* ''P. c. macrorhamphus'' Brooke, 1974 – breeds further south in [[South America]] to central [[Argentina]]

The southern subspecies [[bird migration|migrate]]s north as far as [[Venezuela]] during the southern hemisphere's winter, and the nominate form also undertakes local movements after the breeding season.

==Description==

The grey-breasted martins is {{cvt|16|-|18|cm}} in length and weighs {{cvt|33|-|50|g}}. It has a forked tail and relatively broad wings. The adult males is a glossy blue-black with the grey-brown throat, breast and sides contrasting with the white lower underparts. The female is duller than the male with a paler throat; the juvenile have dull brown upperparts.<ref name=hbw>{{ cite book | last=Turner | first=Angela K. | year=2004 | chapter=Family Hirundinidae (Swallows and Martins) | editor1-last=del Hoyo | editor1-first=J. | editor2-last=Elliott | editor2-first=A. | editor3-last=Christie | editor3-first=D.A. | title=Handbook of the Birds of the World | volume=9: Cotingas to Pipits and Wagtails | location=Barcelona, Spain | publisher=Lynx Edicions | isbn=978-84-87334-69-6 | pages=602–685 [656] | chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/handbookofbirdso0009unse/page/656/mode/1up | chapter-url-access=registration }}</ref>

==Behaviour==

===Breeding===

The grey-breasted martin nests in cavities in banks and buildings, or old [[woodpecker]] holes. Normally, two to four eggs are laid in the lined nest, and incubated for 15–16 days, with another 22 days to fledging.

===Diet===

Grey-breasted martins are gregarious birds that hunt for [[insect]]s in flight. Their call is a gurgly ''chew-chew'', similar to that of the closely related [[Caribbean martin]]. The latter species is slightly larger, and has more contrasting underparts.

==References==

{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==

* {{cite book |title=Swallows & Martins: An Identification Guide and Handbook |last1=Turner |first1=Angela |last2=Rose |first2=Chris |year=1989 |publisher=Houghton Mifflin |isbn=978-0395511749 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/swallowsmartinsi00turn }}

* {{cite book |last=Hilty |first=Steven L. |date=2003 |title=Birds of Venezuela |publisher=Princeton University Press |isbn=0-7136-6418-5 }}

* {{cite book |last1=ffrench<!--this name should not be capitalized--> |first1=Richard |last2=O'Neill |first2=John Patton |last3=Eckelberry |first3=Don R. |title=A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago |edition=2nd |year=1991 |location=Ithaca, N.Y. |publisher=Comstock Publishing |isbn=0-8014-9792-2 }}

==External links==

{{Commons category|Progne chalybea}}

{{Wikispecies|Progne chalybea}}

* {{BirdLife|22712110|Progne chalybea}}

* {{InternetBirdCollection|grey-breasted-martin-progne-chalybea|Grey-breasted martin}}

* {{VIREO|Gray-breasted+martin|Gray-breasted martin}}

* {{NeotropicalBirds|gybmar|Gray-breasted martin}}

* {{IUCN_Map|22712110|Progne chalybea}}

* {{Xeno-canto species|Progne|chalybea|Grey-breasted martin}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q3136297}}

[[Category:Progne|grey-breasted martin]]

[[Category:Birds of Central America]]

[[Category:Birds of South America]]

[[Category:Birds described in 1789|grey-breasted martin]]

[[Category:Taxa named by Johann Friedrich Gmelin|grey-breasted martin]]

{{Hirundinidae-stub}}