Tree Martin at the Ponds

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Alice Springs Waste Stabilisation Ponds

The Tree Martin (Petrochelidon nigricans), one of the passerine birds of the swallows and martins family Hirundinidae, is migratory and seen in Australia where it breeds.

The Tree Martin is usually seen in open woodland, where there are large trees that provide nesting holes. they are also found in urban areas. When not breeding they are a gregarious species and will appear in mixed flocks with Fairy Martins. Pictured here is the Tree Martin at the Alice Springs Sewage Ponds.

The Tree Martin is a small swallow about 13 cm in length, that can be distinguished from other Australian swallows by its knotched tail shape, pale grayish-white rump and rufous forehead. The sexes are similar. The adult bird has iridescent blue back and crown, brown wings and tail. Young birds are duller and browner in colour, with a paler forehead and pale fringes to the back and wing feathers.

The Tree Martin (Petrochelidon nigricans) is similar to the Fairy Martin (Petrochelidon ariel), the difference is the Fairy Martin has a rufous head and nape (the neck area behind the bird’s head), as seen in the following two photos.

Tree Martins breed will nest and breed in isolation or colonies, between July through to January. They will nests in natural holes in dead trees, escarpment, rock crevices, cliff faces, as well as on and under bridges and buildingsa. The Tree Martins are also known to take over the nests of Welcome Swallows.

In flight, Tree Martins have a fast twisting motion, and can be seen catching insects and feed more than 6 m above the ground (above the canopy of tall eucalyptus trees), as well as feeding on insects caught low over bodies of water.

The photographs presented here were taken in the month of June, July and August..

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• Scientific classification
• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Subphylum: Vertebrata
• Informal: Gnathostomata
• Class: Aves
• Order: Passeriformes
• Suborder: Passeri
• Informal: Passerida
• Family: Hirundinidae
• Subfamily: Hirundininae
• Genus: Petrochelidon
• Subgenus: infrageneric Petrochelidon
• Species: Petrochelidon ariel

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