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| Thai Wildlife > Rare or Extinct |
White-eyed River-Martin
Species: Pseudochelidon sirintarae
(Kitti, 1968)
Synonym: Eurochelidon sirintarae
(Kitti, 1968)
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Hirundinidae
Common names: White-eyed River-Marlin; Princess Sirindhorn bird
It was first discovered by a Thai and the name of HRH Princess Sirindhorn was requested. It was first found by Kitti Thonglongya together with birds caught for sale from Bung Bhoraphet, Nakhon Sawan.
The general characteristic of the Princess Sirindhorn bird is its dark greenish black or dark blue color. On the forehead is a velvet-like crown. The rim of the eyes are white with a slightly pink ring around the cornea. The legs are pink with a white waist rim. The tail feathers are short and round with a center pair jutting out. Around the neck is a brownish black band. The bird measures 15 centimeters from beak to tail tip. It is considered a big sparrow. Due to the white rings around the eyes, the villagers call this bird "wide eye bird".
It is reported as native to Bung Bhoraphet, Nakhon Sawan and is one of the two native birds to Thailand.
This bird is rather slow and likes to perch on grass blades in the lake. They are commonly found with other sparrows.
It is expected that they reproduce and lay eggs in summer like the sparrows of Africa. The bird will lay the eggs by digging a nest into the sandy beach or on the small islands in the lake.
The nests are dug about 1-2 meters deep and they lay 2-3 eggs at a time.
Since this bird has not been seen for 15 years at Bung Bhoraphet it is considered likely to be extinct or at best, a very small number alive.
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