The 11 cm long Congo martin is light brown above with a slightly darker crown and wings.

This specialised habitat is shared with two other restricted-range birds, the Congo sunbird and the Congo martin.

Riparia congica (Congo martin)

The Congo martin or Congo sand martin (Riparia congica) is a small passerine bird in the swallow family.

The Congo martin nests in colonies in February and March, with each pair excavating a tunnel in a sandbank about 1 m above the river.

This species was often called the "Congo martin", but this invites confusion with the Congo sand martin or Congo martin, Riparia congica.

Although the indistinct breast band of the Congo martin is different from the clearly defined markings of the sand martin, in practice it is not easy to distinguish the resident species from the winter migrant.