Photo: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Welcome Swallow
Hirundo neoxena
Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena) is a member of the Hirundinidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 14.7 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Hirundinidae Swallows, Martins
- Genus Hirundo
- Species neoxena
Where it lives
Australia, Tasmania, Lord Howe and Norfolk is. (east of Australia), New Zealand and northern outlying is.
Quick facts
- Weight
- 14.7 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Hirundinidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Welcome Swallow is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Welcome Swallow is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena) belongs to the Hirundinidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Australia, Tasmania, Lord Howe and Norfolk is. (e of Australia), New Zealand and n outlying is.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 14.7 g, with a wing length of about 11.2 cm and a tail of around 7.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 4.2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Welcome Swallow?
The Welcome Swallow is a very small bird that weighs around 14.7 g.
Where does the Welcome Swallow live?
The Welcome Swallow is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Australia, Tasmania, Lord Howe and Norfolk is. (e of Australia), New Zealand and n outlying is, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Welcome Swallow belong to?
The Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena) belongs to the Hirundinidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Welcome Swallow eat?
The Welcome Swallow is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Welcome Swallow migrate?
The Welcome Swallow is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Welcome Swallow endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Welcome Swallow make?
1 real field recording of the Welcome Swallow — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Welcome Swallow's range?
The Welcome Swallow has a mapped global range of about 4.2 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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