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Fairy MartinAlternative names: "Bottle Swallow", "Cliff Swallow", "Land Swallow" Size: 12-13 cm Weight: 11 g (average) |
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Similar species |
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SUBSECTIONS:
Classification
Distribution
Sightings
Photos
Breeding
Nest
Eggs
Behaviour
Food
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Taxonomy, classification |
See Fairy Martin
at Wikipedia 
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
(for details refer to a field guide) |
Click here to display information on habitat,
range and finding this species
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Sightings |
Spotted only occasionally in 2005, Fairy Martins came to our neighbour's semi-permanent waterhole, 20 km south of Narrabri, NSW, where they hunted from dead trees standing in the water. They returned to the same place in September 2006.
Click here to display more sighting
information
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Photos |
Two Fairy Martins on the ground collecting nesting material; based
on their normal behaviour one might think that they were after mud,
but there is no mud here - this photo shows that they were also
collecting ash of a woodfire
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2007]
Two Fairy Martins on the ground collecting nesting material
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2007]
Here a flock of Fairy Martins taking a timeout for some
preening
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2008]
Fairy Martins taking flight
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2007]
Fairy Martin in flight
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, November 2010]
Fairy Martin in flight (left); on the left one can also see
a Welcome Swallow
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, August 2010]
Not often seen together: Fairy Martins (orange-brown caps) and
Tree Martins
(black caps); photo courtesy of C. Hayne
To the best of our knowledge this Fairy Martin made a little mistake; rather than scooping up water in flight like all its mates, it nose-dived into the water, only to come out again a second later
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Breeding information |
| Breeding season: Jul - Dec | Eggs: 4 - 6 | Incubation period: 14 - 16 days | Fledging age: 14 days |
Fairy Martins can, given the right conditions, breed any time of the year. They nest in colonies. Male and female share the incubation and feeding duties. During the breeding season adult birds will roost in the nest.
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Nest |
"bungobittah", "malunna" = Nest [Aboriginal] |
| Type: Bottle | Material: Mud glued to overhanging surface | Height above ground: >2 m |
Fairy Martins seen collecting red-soil mud from the edge of a puddle
[Near Brewarrina, NSW, October 2010]
Here the Fairy Martins are after dry grass, possibly to use it as lining
material; note that this photo was taken in winter
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, August 2011]
Obviously, the Fairy Martin nests will then be reddish...
[Near Brewarrina, NSW, October 2010]
... if grey soil is available, the outcome will look like this
[Near Brewarrina, NSW, October 2010]
Fairy Martins collecting black soil, which will turn grey when dry
(photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
Colony of Fairy Martin nests under a bridge across the Namoi river
south of Narrabri; one chick can be seen waiting outside the nest,
two others are looking out the entrance
[Near Narrabri, NSW, October 2007]
Closer view of a Fairy Martin entering its nest; the
entrance is on the side of the nest, not in the middle
[Near Narrabri, NSW, October 2007]
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Eggs |
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "nooluk" "pateena" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay] |
| Size: 17 x 12 mm | Colour: Pale creamy with light-brown speckles | Shape: Tapered oval |
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Behaviour |
| Social behaviour: Communal | Mobility: Migratory | Elementary unit: Flock |
As opposed to other swallows, Fairy Martins hunt in flocks. They also go to ground in flocks of 10 to 20. It is now clear that they collected ash from the ground, probably as a binding agent for their nests (see photos above). Normally we see them collecting mud, not ash.
Fairy Martins are shier than other types of swallows and will not nest close to humans.
Like other types of swallows, Fairy Martins scoop up water in flight
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, September 2011]
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Food, Diet |
Like all other swallows known to us, Fairy Martins are insect hunters. They feed in-flight on small insects.
