Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena
Welcome Swallow, Tahune Airwalk, Tasmania, Australia, February 2006 - click for larger image Australia
February 2006

The Welcome Swallow is distributed in Australia except in the north and in the drier deserts. It is found in a wide variety of open habitats including farmland and settlements and is often near water.

Welcome Swallow, Triabunna, Tasmania, Australia, February 2006 - click for larger image The forehead, face and throat are rufous while upperparts are glossy blue-black and underparts are grey and lacking the black breast band found in Barn Swallow H. rustica. The tail is deeply forked with white spots on the inner tail-feathers.

The juvenile, seen here in photos 3 and 4, are duller particularly around the face and have a shorter tail.
Juvenile Welcome Swallow, Wye Valley, Victoria, Australia, February 2006 - click for larger image
Juvenile Welcome Swallow, Wye Valley, Victoria, Australia, February 2006 - click for larger image
Previous Page Back to Index Next Page
If you do not see a menu on the left, you may have arrived at this page from another site. Please click Home to get to my main page.