General Description

Upper body parts shiny blue-black with forehead and throat rusty brown. Underparts grey-white. Wings grey and tail darker grey with some white markings. Tail deeply forked. Bill, legs and eyes are dark. Bill to tail length is up to 15 cm.

Biology

Welcome Swallows feed on a wide variety of insects. They are acrobatic birds and catch their prey in flight. The birds are partly nomadic, moving in response to the availability of their prey. Large flocks are common in coastal areas. Welcome Swallows build a cup-shaped nest out of mud and grass. It is attached to a solid structure such as the wall of a cave or a building. The breeding season is between August and February and a pair may raise two broods during this time.

Distribution

Mainland Australia and Tasmania.

Habitat

Most areas.

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