Comments on: Ian’s Bird of the Week – Welcome Swallow

By: Ian Montgomery

Ian Montgomery — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 02:41:53 +0000

Hi Jodie-Anne,

In southeastern Australia, there is some northward migration of Welcome Swallows to eastern and northeastern Australia, so it is possible that these birds are moving north through Echuca. The breeding season is spring and early summer. Some swallows do return to the place where they bred, but you’d expect them to arrive in the spring.

Cheers
Ian

By: Lee

Lee — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 02:01:18 +0000

Will send this to Ian for his reply.

By: Jodie-Anne

Jodie-Anne — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 01:58:26 +0000

Hi Ian, Iive in Torrumbarry, near Echuca Victoria on the Murray river. The Welcome swallows have just returned this week (or so expect as I haven’t seen them for sometime), and I’m wondering where they would have been over the summer?? Also is it likely to be the same couple that nest outside my lounge room window each year

By: Ian Montgomery

Ian Montgomery — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 02:11:19 +0000

It depends where ‘here’ is. Welcome Swallows are resident in much of Australia and do not migrate. Those in Tasmania and southeastern Australia move north in winter to eastern and northeastern Australia.
Greetings, Ian

By: Tony

Tony — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 05:25:28 +0000

looking up your web site re the swallows,we have four little ones just left the nest they are welcome swallows,it appears they have flown away just wondering where they go from here
thanks Tony

By: From Ian

From Ian — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 01:02:05 +0000

It’s probably that the swallow in the the Philippines were Pacific Swallows http://birdway.com.au/hirundinidae/pacific_swallow/index.htm. These are very similar to the Welcome Swallow of Australia and some authorities think that the Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena) should be treated as a subspecies of the Pacific (Hirundo tahitica). Another possibility is the Barn Swallow – this would also occur in the Philippines in the northern winter. It is whiter underneath than the Welcome and has a black chest band below the reddish throat, though this may not be obvious.
Best wishes, Ian

By: myra gaculais del rosario

myra gaculais del rosario — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 02:55:17 +0000

Ian, would you know which birds, if any, migrate to the Philippines during the cold months in Australia?

Lee, I think those were swallows that my daughters and I were trying to photograph in Zambales (a province north of Manila) in December. We ended up dizzy. :)

Myra Gaculais del Rosario
Rizal
Philippines