Uncommon. Mostly sedentary with some locallised nomadic wanderings or migratory movements.
Habitat
In air space above open or lightly timbered habitats, such as grasslands, shrublands, open woodlands, and occasionally open forest. Usually assoiciated with regions of sandy or otherwise loose soil.
Nest
In a burrow in the vertical bank of a creek, lined with grass and small leaves. The burrow is about half a meter in length with an oval nest-chamber at the end.
Eggs (Guide)
4 - 6, usually 5; glossy, pure white; oval; about 17 x 11 mm. Incubation: about 14 days; probably by both sexes.
Subspecies
No subspecies.
Closely related to Pseudhirundo.
Proposed subspecies marngli from R Fitzroy (northern Western Australia) and stonei from Warialda (New South Wales) undiagnosable. Species name often erroneously spelled leucosternum or leucosternus, but, being latinized Greek adjective, must agree with feminine genus.
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