Uncommon. Migratory, moving north in winter, some going to New Guinea.
Habitat
Aerial above open space or sparsley wooded areas, including grasslands, shrublands and woodlands, usually near water. Most often occuring in areas with suitable nest sites such as cliffs, banks, caves and quarries.
Habits
Usually in large flocks but sometimes singly. Often in association with other aerial birds such as Tree Martin (Petrochelidon nigricans), swallows and swifts.
Food
Insects, including beetles, bugs, flies and ants.
Voice
A short, dry, churring 'drr, drr', very different from that of the Tree Martin (Petrochelidon nigricans).
Fairy Martin (Petrochelidon ariel) [XC595987]
by Marc Anderson from White Cliffs, Central Darling Shire Council, New South Wales, Australia (call)
Fairy Martin (Petrochelidon ariel) [XC689252]
by Peter Boesman from Werribee Treatment Plant, Victoria, Australia (call)
Breeding Season (Guide)
August - January in the south and after rain inland.
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Nest
A retort or bottle shaped structure, under eaves of buildings, under calverts, on cliff-faces, or in hollow trees and caves, composed of mud pellets and lined with dried grasses and feathers. Nests are colonial, usually in rows or clusters.
Eggs (Guide)
4 or 5; dull, white, often faintly speckled with rust-brown or rufous, generally at the larger end; oval; about 17 x 12 mm. Incubation: about 15 days; by both sexes.
Young
Altricial, nidicolous. Fledge in about 17 - 23 days. Fed by both parents.
Subspecies
No subspecies.
May form superspecies with Streak-throated Swallow (Petrochelidon fluvicola) and sometimes considered conspecific. Birds from north-western Australia described as subspecies conigravi, but indistinguishable from those in rest of range.
Similar Species
Tree Martin (Petrochelidon nigricans) which tends to have a duller, white rump, and has dark blue head, usually readily visible in flight.
References
See References.
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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