Bird
Welcome Swallow
Hirundo neoxenaAlso known as Australian Swallow
Welcome swallows are agile aerial insectivores renowned for their acrobatic swoops and sharp, banking turns over open water and grasslands. Breeding pairs construct cup-shaped mud nests reinforced with grass and lined with feathers, frequently attaching them under sheltered eaves, bridges, and mine shafts. Their presence is heralded by sweet, twittering contact calls in flight, signaling the return of warmer weather across southern Australia and New Zealand.
Aerial AcrobatInsectivoreUrban Adapter
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyMidges and Mosquitoes, Flying Ants, Small Moths
Predators
- Australian Hobby
- Peregrine Falcon
- Feral Cat
ThreatsSevere weather events, pesticide decline of insect prey, and feral predators
HabitatsPastures, wetlands, coastal cliffs, estuaries, and urban areas
Life span4–6 years
Classification
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilyHirundinidae
- GenusHirundo
- SpeciesHirundo neoxena
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Look up near water: Watch open lakes, reservoirs, and estuaries on calm mornings for low-skimming foraging flights.
- Inspect sheltered overhangs: Check beneath bridge decks, boat ramps, and veranda eaves for cup-shaped mud nests.
- Give nests space: Avoid loitering directly beneath active nests in spring to prevent parents abandoning eggs or nestlings.
Same Genus (c) Donald Davesne, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Donald Davesne · cc-by
Predator (c) Lawrence Hylton, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Lawrence Hylton · cc-by
Close Relative Cricket Raspet / CC BY 4.0 · cc-by
Same Family (c) Rolf Lawrenz, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Rolf Lawrenz · cc-by
Same Family (c) Alan Bell, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Alan Bell · cc-by
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