Fairy martins breed from August through to January in colonies usually of a few tens of nests, but the largest known site had 700 nests.
Not listed
Endemic to Australia
Indigenous: Bidjaaymamal
At a glance
FamilySwallows
SizeTiny
RarityCommon
HabitatThis is a bird of open country near water, and is usually seen near its nest sites in cliffs, culverts or bridges.
Best timeMost reliable in Queensland from June to November.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Marc Anderson
Range map
Range map
200approx hotspots
194684approx records
6states
Low confidenceMediumHigh confidence
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
The fairy martin is dumpy and square tailed. It averages 12 centimetres (4.7 in) long and weighs 11 grams (0.39 oz). The adult has an iridescent blue back, brown wings and tail, a rufous crown and nape, and a whitish rump. The underparts are dull white.
Behavior
Nests colonially over much of Australia.
Gallery
Regional timing
Queensland
Northern Territory
South Australia
Western Australia
New South Wales
Victoria
Tasmania
Australian Capital Territory