General Description
Medium-small stocky swallow. Head, nape and back glossy blue-black. Sides of neck and breast mottled and streaked buff or white; front part of forehead red-brown. Rump light grey. Length 12 cm; wingspan to 28 cm. This bird can be mistaken for a Fairy Martin (Hirundo ariel) but the Fairy Martin's cap is reddish, while the Tree Martin's is glossy blue-black. The Fairy Martin is also paler underneath.
Biology
These birds eat ants, beetles, bugs, flies and wasps, which they forage for in flight, sometimes rapidly accelerating in pursuit. They have a pleasant twittering song.
Distribution
Across Australia.
Habitat
Very diverse habitats, open, shrublands, woodlands and coasts. Often around wetlands, including freshwater and salt.
More Information
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Animal Type
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Animal SubType
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Brief Id
Glossy blue-black above, breast and sides of neck streaked buff or white, forehead red-brown, rump light grey.
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Colours
Blue-black, Red-brown
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Maximum Size
12 cm
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Habitats
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Diet
Insects
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Diet Categories
Insects
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Endemicity
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Commercial
No
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Conservation Statuses
CITES: Not listed, FFG Threatened List: Not listed, EPBC Act 1999: Not listed, IUCN Red List: Least Concern
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Taxon Name
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Common Name
Tree Martin
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Kingdom
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Phylum
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Subphylum
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Class
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Order
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Family
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Genus
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Species Name
nigricans