The African river martin, the most primitive living swallow, has blue-black or purple-black plumage with an attractive green sheen to the back, and sooty brown under-wings. Its tail is black and square, the feet are brownish-pink, and the red eye is surrounded by a pink eyering. Like other swallows, the African river martin’s large, orange-red bill can open wide, enabling the bird to catch insects while flying with ease. Male and female African river martins are the same in appearance while juveniles have dull sooty brown plumage.