Welcome Swallow

Scientific Name Hirundo neoxena

Native Yes

Family Hirundinidae

Common Weight 9-20 Grams

Common Height 10 CM

Common Length 14-16 CM

Identification

Welcome swallows are small fast-flying birds, they are usually seen around Waiheke during breeding season between August and February on powerlines, fences and beaches.

Welcome swallows are small, elegant birds with blunt heads, a deeply-forked tail and long pointed wings. Adults have rufous on the forehead, neck and breast and to a lesser degree (and paler) on the flanks. The bill is short, broad and black, and they have a black eye stripe. The back and upperwings are blue-black. The tail is dark with white spots towards the ends of the feathers that form a row of dots when the tail is spread in flight. The under parts are pale buff. The sexes differ only in that the females’ tail streamers are slightly shorter and the tail spots smaller. Juveniles are also similar but have darker heads and an overall duller colouring.

Their flight is circular and darting in style, and they may be seen singly, in pairs or in flocks. Flocks often perch in masse, lined up on fences or power lines. They were named ‘welcome swallows’ because they appeared in southern Australia as a herald of spring.

Their sounds is fantail-like twittering, chattering and chirrups. Calls are generally quiet and do not carry far.

Swallows are most often seen close to wetlands or the coast. In colder areas they may migrate seasonally, and flocks travel long distances to reach good food sources.

Welcome swallows are gregarious. They often nest as pairs, but other birds may help with caring for the young. When not breeding they roost together in large numbers under bridges or in raupo swamps and they will mob predatory birds.

Waiheke Wildlife

Pūkeko

The Pukeko is a large relatively compact rail with a deep blue-violet head, breast and throat and a red bill. Found in swamp/Mangrove areas of Waiheke Island.

Wood Pigeon

The Wood pigeon is a large distinctively-coloured pigeon, it is easy to find on Waiheke due to its size, they are usually perched on powerlines or trees.

Pied Shag

This large black-and-white shag is often seen individually or in a group, usually spotted in the ocean searching for food or hanging around fisherman by the rocks of Waiheke.

Australasian Gannet

The gannet is a large slender-bodied seabird with mainly white plumage, buff-yellow head and neck. Occassionally seen around Waiheke searching for food in ocean depths.

Magpie

The Magpie is a large black-and-white songbird, It was introduced from Australia. It can be found on Waiheke around farmland and large grass reserves.

Bar-tailed Godwit

The Godwit is a migrant from Alaska, they fly 8-9 days straight to arrive in NZ. They can be found on Waiheke from September - March located at Blackpool.

Pied Stilt

The pied stilt is a dainty wading bird, It is common at wetlands and coastal areas, found on Waiheke at Putiki Bay, Anzac Bay and Blackpool.

Spotted Turtle Dove

The spotted dove is a medium-sized, long-tailed dove, with a greyish head and speckled greyish brown upperparts. Found on Waiheke around gardens and the rooster reserve.

Black Bird

The black bird is a medium-sized songbird that is entirely black in adult males with a yellow bill. Abundantly found on Waiheke around household properties and trees.

Kaka

The Kaka is a large, olive-brown parrot with grey-white crown, red-orange underwing and deep crimson belly, located in tree covered areas around Palm beach and Onetangi.

Sacred Kingfisher

The sacred kingfisher is a distinctive bird with a green-blue back, buff to yellow undersides and a large black bill. they can be found nearby tidal beaches on waiheke.

Grey Warbler

The Grey Warbler is a tiny olive-grey song bird often heard before seen. Locations on Waiheke are dense woody vegetations. The warbler can be difficult to spot.

Thrush

The thrush is a medium-sized songbird with a speckled brown-on-cream breast, usually heard before it is seen, found in grass reserves, gardens and trees on Waiheke.

NZ Dotterel

The New Zealand Dotterel is a shorebird which breeds on beaches in NZ's North Island. Locations found on Waiheke are Whakanewha, Anzac Bay and Blackpool.

Fantail

The Fantail is a well known NZ bird due to its distinctive fanned tail. Locations found on Waiheke are any well-treed parks, bush walks and even properties.

Red Billed Gull

The red-billed gull also known as a "Seagull" is common around New Zealand Coasts. Located everywhere on Waiheke beaches where food or bait is readily accessible.

Common Myna

Mynas are stocky brown birds with a shiny black head and shoulders. Commonly found on road sides on Waiheke, usually playing chicken with cars while foraging for food.

White Fronted Tern

The white-fronted tern is a medium-sized, long-tailed sea tern commonly around New Zealand coasts. Spotted congregating on Waiheke wharfs such as Matiatia and Orapiu.

Variable Oyster Catcher

The variable oystercatcher is a stocky coastal bird with a long, bright orange bill, it is located on many quiet beaches such as Blackpool, Whakanewha and Anzac bay.

Welcome swallows are small fast-flying birds, they are usually seen around waiheke during breeding season between August and February on powerlines, fences and beaches.

Great black-backed gull

The Black-backed gull is a large black-and-white gull with a white head and underparts, black back, yellow bill with a red spot near the tip. Located on Waiheke beaches.

Tui

The Tui is a iridescent blue-green honeyeater with two curled white feather tufts on the throat. Locations found on Waiheke are around flaxes feeding off nectar.

Little Shag

The little shag is a small shag, with a short yellow bill, black feet, a relatively long tail, usually spotted in the ocean searching for food or hanging around Waiheke…

White Faced Heron

The white-faced heron is a tall, elegant, blue-grey bird usually spotted stalking prey. Locations found on Waiheke are Mangroves, Anzac bay and quiet beaches.

Spur-winged Plover

The Spur-winged plover is a large stocky wader with a yellow bill and spurs on each wing, locations found on Waiheke are Blackpool, Maori hill and Whakanewha.

White-Eye

A small songbird, immediately recognisable by its distinctive white eye-ring. This quick little bird can be found feeding off flax and kowhais or fruit trees on Waiheke.

Breeding

Welcome Swallows can raise three broods between August and February.

They build distinctive cup-shaped nests on ledges or attached to vertical supports usually on manmade structures such as houses, bridges and culverts, out of direct sunlight. Ive even seen nests in caves on quiet beaches and underground carparks on waiheke.

Mud and grasses are used to build the nest from the base upwards and then it is lined with fine grasses and feathers.

The 3-5 pinkish eggs with brown speckles are laid at 24-48 hour intervals and incubated by the female for 15 days. The nestlings are fed by both parents and fledge at 18 days old. Nestling wings grow at a constant rate regardless of fluctuations in food supply. Nests take 6-24 days to build, and are often re-used within and between breeding seasons.

Food

small invertebrates

They occasionally perch on plants to take insects or sweep them up from the water. Swallows often drink while flying, scooping water from the surface of a lake or pond.

Waiheke Locations

Rock Caves – ive spotted a nest while fishing once – usually you see the swallow darting around follow its movements from a far and watch were it goes.

Powerlines – Ive spotted them on many powerlines around waiheke, i was even fortunate enough to have swallows breed near my house one year so they landed on my clothes line.

Fences – They like to perch in non busy areas. farm areas.

Underground carparks – Ive spotted a nest under copy expresso quite often in the Main Oneroa Carpark.

Beaches– Usually found on quiet beaches, either sitting on the sand, darting around or perches on driftwood.

Welcomes Swallows are flying birds so they can really be anywhere on Waiheke but not just Waiheke they are all over New Zealand, these are just areas I’ve spotted them and photographed.