Bird Album
Fairy Martin
Petrochelidon ariel (Gould, 1842)
12 cmLength11 gWeight
The fairy martin (Petrochelidon ariel) is a member of the swallow family of passerine birds which breeds in Australia.
Busiest months: January and September–October · Most records: Australia, New Zealand
Where and when it's recorded
Busiest months: January and September–October · Most records: Australia, New Zealand
Fairy Martin has been recorded at 201 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 2 countries and regions.
Records by month Southern Hemisphere
Where it's recorded most
- Western Treatment PlantAustralia5,788 records
- Oxley Creek CommonAustralia2,424 records
- Bowra Wildlife SanctuaryAustralia2,284 records
More places
- Townsville Town Common Conservation ParkAustralia2,039 records
- Centennial ParkAustralia1,687 records
- Jerrabomberra Wetlands Nature ReserveAustralia1,479 records
- Sandy Camp Road WetlandsAustralia1,257 records
- Carlyle Gardens Retirement Resort, TownsvilleAustralia1,137 records
- Alice Springs Sewage PondsAustralia1,055 records
- Dandenong Valley WetlandAustralia927 records
Countries and regions with the most records
eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.
About
The fairy martin (Petrochelidon ariel) is a member of the swallow family of passerine birds which breeds in Australia. It is migratory wintering through most of Australia, with some birds reaching New Guinea and Indonesia. It is increasingly a wanderer to New Zealand, where it may have bred.
Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia
Questions
How big is the Fairy Martin?
The Fairy Martin is about 12 cm long and weighs around 11 g.
Where does the Fairy Martin live?
Its breeding range: Australasia: Australia (except Tasmania, southeastern Australia). It is most often recorded in Australia and New Zealand.
When is the best time to see the Fairy Martin?
At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in January, September and October (Southern Hemisphere).
Is the Fairy Martin endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the Fairy Martin as Least Concern.
What does the Fairy Martin eat?
Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.
What family is the Fairy Martin in?
It belongs to the family Swallows, Martins (Hirundinidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).
At a glance
- Length
- 12 cm
- Weight
- 11 g
- Habitat
- Wetland
- Diet
- Insects & other invertebrates
- Lifestyle
- Feeds in the air
- Migration
- Partial migrant
- Conservation
- Least Concern
More measurements
- Wing
- 92 mm
- Tail
- 47 mm
- Bill
- 9 mm
- Tarsus
- 10 mm
Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.
Range
Australasia: Australia (except Tasmania, southeastern Australia)
Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2
Classification
- Order
- Passerines Passeriformes
- Family
- Swallows, Martins Hirundinidae
- Genus
- Petrochelidon
Other birds in the genus Petrochelidon
Red-throated Cliff SwallowPetrochelidon rufigula
Preuss's Cliff SwallowPetrochelidon preussi
Red Sea Cliff SwallowPetrochelidon perdita
South African Cliff SwallowPetrochelidon spilodera
Streak-throated SwallowPetrochelidon fluvicola
Tree MartinPetrochelidon nigricans
American Cliff SwallowPetrochelidon pyrrhonota
Cave SwallowPetrochelidon fulva
Chestnut-collared SwallowPetrochelidon rufocollaris
African River MartinPseudochelidon eurystomina
Download illustration
Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from reference photos. ↗
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