Moderately common, but locally common on the east coast and ranges. Reach Australia on migration in early October and the south-eastern corner by December. Departure begins in March and most have departed by late April.
Habitat
Almost exclusively aerial, often seen flying over trees, below canopy, over most types of habitat but often over wooded areas, including open forest and rainforest.
Australia, Bhutan (B), Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China (mainland) (B), India (B), Indonesia, Japan (B), Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia (B), Nepal (B), New Zealand, North Korea (B), Pakistan (B), Russia (Asian) (B), Russia (Central Asian) (B), South Korea, Thailand, Timor-Leste (NB), Vietnam.
Vagrant to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Fiji, Finland, Guam, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Myanmar, New Caledonia, Norway, Seychelles, Spain, United Kingdom, USA.
Breeds in Siberia, Mongolia and Japan, migrating as far south as south-eastern Australia and Tasmania in the southern summer. Accidental to New Zealand.
Voice
Sharp, musical, uneven twittering, with high to very high squeaks, very rapid, some clear and some scratchy, 'chi-chiet-chit-chi-chit-chiet-chi-'.
White-throated Needletail (Hirundapus caudacutus) [XC157710]
by Murtaza Khalil Hassan from Mishmi Hills, rd up to Muyudia hotel, Arunachal Pradesh, India (flight call)
White-throated Needletail (Hirundapus caudacutus) [XC458628]
by Tom Tarrant from Baikal Ringing Station, Tankhoy, Irkutsk, Russian Federation (song)
Breeding Season (Guide)
Does not breed in Australia. Breeds in northern Asia.
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Nest
Composed of materials obtained in the air and cemented together with its own saliva, in crevices in cliffs and also hollow trees.
Eggs (Guide)
Usually 5 - 7; porcelain white; ellipsoidal; about 28 - 32 x 18 - 22 mm. Incubation: begins with laying of the first egg.
Subspecies
The following 2 subspecies are recognised:
caudacutus (Latham, 1802) - Central and eastern Siberia, through northern Mongolia, northern China and North Korea to Sakhalin and Japan, migrating to Australia.
nudipes (Hodgson, 1837) - Himalayas from northern Pakistan to south-western China and Assam.
Similar Species
Fork-tailed Swift (Apus pacificus) which has a finely tapering body and a sharply forked tail. At a distance, or in poor light, can resemble the Australian Hobby (Falco longipennis).
Compare Images
The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Pizzey, G., and Knight, E., 1997, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 19691 5
Field Guide to Australian Birds Morecombe, M., 2000, Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd. ISBN 1 876282 10 X
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Simpson, K., and Day, N., 1999, 6th Edition, Viking ISBN 0 670 87918 5
Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds 1988, 2nd Edition, Reader's Digest ISBN 0 949819 99 9
What Bird is That? 1984, Revised Edition, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 14846 5
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds 1990 - , Oxford University Press, Melbourne ISBN 0 19 553244 9
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BirdLife International Species Factsheet