Rock or Crag Martin (1 Viewer)

Some one identified it as a Rock Martin but when I looked at my Collins book I thought Crag Martin because of dark-ish vent and the very obvious tail mirrors.

He said the following were reasons for Rock - Pale throat. UW coverts not as contrasting with flight feathers as in Eurasian. In crag martin all UW all coverts r dark, while in rock martin only carpel area is dark (Collins)

Anyway would like further opinions. From December 2016 - Gwadar, south-west Pakistan.

Agree with your friend that it's a Pale Crag Martin Pytonoprogne obsoleta for precisely the reasons cited. And Crag Martin would be well out of range.

Rock Martin P.fuligula occurs in Africa.

Grahame

Grahame Walbridge said:

Agree with your friend that it's a Pale Crag Martin Ptyonoprogne obsoleta for precisely the reasons cited. And Crag Martin would be well out of range.

Rock Martin P. fuligula occurs in Africa.

Grahame

Click to expand...

You beat me to it, Grahame, but I would just add for Himalaya's benefit, that the relatively recent split of Rock Martin s.l. is probably not reflected in many of the older field guides and reference books, even the Collins FG and the otherwise reasonably updated app. The app still shows the pre-split map and doesn't mention Pale Crag Martin, just Eurasian Crag Martin, P. rupestris.

The app is otherwise pretty exemplary in updating other splits.
MJB

thanks to both of you......