- Tree Martin
Taxobox
name = Tree Martin
status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1
regnum =Animal ia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo =Passeriformes
familia =Hirundinidae
genus = "Petrochelidon "
species = "P. nigricans"
binomial = "Petrochelidon nigricans"
binomial_authority = Vieillot, 1817The Tree Martin ("Petrochelidon nigricans") is a member of theswallow family ofpasserine bird s. It breeds inAustralia , mostly south of latitude 20oS, and inTimor . It is migratory wintering through most of Australia,New Guinea ,Indonesia east of theWallace Line and theSolomon Islands . It is a vagrant toNew Zealand , where it has bred, andNew Caledonia . This species is frequently placed in the genus "Hirundo" as "Hirundo nigricans".This is a bird of open woodland, preferably with large trees to provide nest holes. It is increasingly common in urban and suburban areas.
Description
The Tree Martin averages 13 cm long and has a shallowly forked tail. The adult has an iridescent blue back and crown, brown wings and tail, a rufous forehead and a whitish rump. The underparts are white. The sexes are similar, but young birds are duller and browner, with a paler forehead and pale fringes to the back and wing feathers.
The call of this vocal swallow is a "tsweet" and the song is a high-pitched twitter.
This species can be distinguished from other Australian swallows by its tail shape and pale rump. The most similar species, the
Fairy Martin , has a rufous head and napeThe Tree Martin has three subspecies:
*"H. n. nigricans", the largest subspecies, breeds in eastern Australia, except northernQueensland , and is the form that has bred in New Zealand.
*"H. n.neglecta " breeds in western and northern Australia. It is slightly smaller than nominate "nigricans" at 11-12 cm length.
*"H. n. timoriensis", the smallest subspecies, breeds mainly in Timor. It has dark streaks on the troat and neck.Behaviour
Tree Martins breed, depending on region, from July through to January, either in pairs or semi-colonially depending on nest site availability. Nests are constructed in natural holes in dead trees or rock crevices, but increasingly in artificial sites on bridges and buildings. This is most common in western Australia, where breeding occurs even in large cities like
Adelaide and Perth. Tree Martins also occasionally reline the nests ofWelcome Swallow s, and may displace the owners to obtain the nest.The nest, unusually for a cliff swallow, is often made just from grass and leaves, but may be reinforced with mud. A mud and plant fibre cement is also used to reduce the width of the entrance to the breeding hole. The clutch is 3-5, usually four, brown and mauve-spotted white eggs, and this species is often double-brooded.
Tree Martins have a fast twisting flight and feed higher than Welcome Swallows, often more than 6 m above the ground. They are frequently seen above tall eucalyptus trees catching aerial
insect s above the canopy, but will also feed on insect swarms low over water. This species can be highly gregarious when not breeding, and will form mixed flocks with Fairy Martins.References
*cite book |title=Swallows & martins : an identification guide and handbook |last=Turner |first=Angela K |coauthors=Chris Rose |publisher=Houghton Mifflin |year=1989 |id=ISBN 0-395-51174-7
* [http://www.birdsofperth.com/terrestrials/swallows/TM.html Birds of Perth]
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