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A very distinctive black-and-white swallow of arid inland Australia.
Not listed
Endemic to Australia
At a glance
FamilySwallows
SizeSmall
RarityCommon
HabitatOpen sky above wetlands, paddocks, towns, rivers, and edges with active aerial insect movement.
Best timeMost reliable in New South Wales from September to October.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Louis Masarei
Range map
Range map
3773visible hotspots
19478visible records
5states
SparseModerateDense hotspot
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
Prominent white upper back, with black belly and black strongly forked tail. Usually seen in small flocks. Compare Fairy and Tree Martins, which have pale rump rather than upper back, and Welcome Swallow, which has a completely dark back.
Behavior
Nests in earthen banks, including road cuts and river banks.
Gallery