FAMEPedia:Today's featured article/June 19, 2021

The rock martin (Ptyonoprogne fuligula) is a small swallow that is resident in central and southern Africa. It breeds in the mountains, and at lower levels in rocky areas and towns. It has mainly brown plumage and white "windows" on the spread tail. Its call is a soft twitter. The sexes are similar in appearance. This martin hunts along cliff faces for flying insects. It breeds under cliff overhangs or on man-made structures building a bowl or half-bowl nest from mud pellets with a soft lining. This bird is a solitary breeder, but small groups may nest close together in suitable locations. The 2–3 eggs are white with brown and grey blotches, and are incubated by both adults for 16–19 days prior to hatching. Both parents then feed the chicks. Fledging takes another 22–24 days. This small martin is caught in flight by several falcons, such as hobbies, but it faces no major threats. Because of its extensive range and large stable population, it is assessed as least concern on the IUCN Red List.