Bird guideWelcome Swallow

Dark above, pale below, with a rusty breast and face.

⚠️Not listed
🍃Indigenous: Dhunbarra

At a glance

FamilySwallows
SizeSmall
RarityCommon
Habitatopen woodland, sparse woodland, closed forest, grassland, and waterbodies
Best timeReported across most months in Victoria, with no narrow seasonal peak.

Sounds

Sound sample
0:000:00
Recorded by Marc Anderson

Range map

Range map

200approx hotspots
1139644approx 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

In Australia, much less common Barn Swallow has a dark chest band and is much paler below, including parts of the underwing.

Behavior

Common bird across open habitat, where it feeds on insects above parks, sporting fields, wetlands, and other open areas. Perches on fence rows and utility lines in large numbers.

Regional timing

Queensland
Peak: March to November292,607 records
Western Australia
Peak: August to January58,473 records
New South Wales
Peak: August to January313,829 records
Tasmania
Peak: October to January38,810 records
Victoria
Peak: August to January346,624 records
South Australia
Peak: August to November41,684 records
Australian Capital Territory
Peak: September to January46,445 records
Northern Territory
Peak: June to August342 records
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