Fairy Martin
Petrochelidon ariel
Also known as: Bottle Swallow
About This Species
A small swallow of open country across Australia, nesting colonially in bottle-shaped mud nests built under bridges, culverts and cave overhangs near water. Watch for tight, twittering flocks wheeling low over pasture and wetlands hawking insects on the wing, most conspicuous in the warmer months when breeding colonies are active.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Observe colonies from a distance rather than approaching the nest structures directly, since mud nests are fragile and easily knocked down or abandoned if adults are repeatedly flushed.
- Native birds are protected under Australian state and territory wildlife legislation, which prohibits disturbing nests, so keep clear of active colonies especially early in the breeding cycle.
- Binoculars let you watch nest-building and feeding activity without disturbance.
LCAvesPasseriformesHirundinidae
Seasonal Activity
191,284 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Hirundinidae
Photo
(c) Tom Tarrant, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.