A single Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxana was seen at Moitaka Settling Ponds (National Capital District) at 07:15 on 30 March 1988. The most notable feature was its elongated outer tail feathers, which made it appear more slender than the Pacific Swallows H. tahitica available for comparison. Its plumage was very similar to the Pacific Swallows': dark blue-black above, greyish below with a rich rufous throat and upper breast. The long tail streamers and rich colour of the throat indicated this bird was an adult, as immatures have short tails and duller plumage (Pizzey 1980). A swallow with tail streamers, that had been glimpsed but not identified, at the settling ponds on 24 March 1988, is now assumed to have been this Welcome Swallow. The other two possible options are Barn Swallow H. rustica and Red-rumped Swallow H. daurica, both northern winter visitors to PNG (Beehler et al 1986). It was not considered to be either of these species as it lacked the dark breast band and white underparts of Barn Swallow and did not have the pale or rufous rump and collar of Red-rumped Swallow. We are familiar with all three species.
The Welcome Swallow is endemic to Australia, although some authorities consider it conspecific with the Pacific Swallow (Howard & Moore 1984). It is a partial migrant; some southern breeders desert their nesting areas in the austral winter and move north. It is self-introduced to New Zealand (Pizzey 1980). The first record in PNG was of a single bird associating with Barn Swallows and Tree Martins H. nigricans at Aroa Lagoon, Central Province, in November 1980 (Finch 1980). The second record was of two birds, an adult and an immature at Hisiu Lagoon, Central Province, in October 1984 (Finch 1984). Hence, this is only the third record for PNG and the entire New Guinea region.
Beehler, B.M., T.K. Pratt & D.A. Zimmerman. 1986. Birds of New Guinea. Princeton University Press.
Finch, B.W. 1980. PNGBS Newsletter 173-74: 4-5.
Finch, B.W. 1884. PNGBS Newsletter 212: 4-5.
Howard, R & A. Moore. 1984. A Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World. Papermac.
Pizzey, G. 1980. A Field Guide to the Birds of Australia. Collins. Sydney.
The Welcome Swallow is endemic to Australia, although some authorities consider it conspecific with the Pacific Swallow (Howard & Moore 1984). It is a partial migrant; some southern breeders desert their nesting areas in the austral winter and move north. It is self-introduced to New Zealand (Pizzey 1980). The first record in PNG was of a single bird associating with Barn Swallows and Tree Martins H. nigricans at Aroa Lagoon, Central Province, in November 1980 (Finch 1980). The second record was of two birds, an adult and an immature at Hisiu Lagoon, Central Province, in October 1984 (Finch 1984). Hence, this is only the third record for PNG and the entire New Guinea region.
Beehler, B.M., T.K. Pratt & D.A. Zimmerman. 1986. Birds of New Guinea. Princeton University Press.
Finch, B.W. 1980. PNGBS Newsletter 173-74: 4-5.
Finch, B.W. 1884. PNGBS Newsletter 212: 4-5.
Howard, R & A. Moore. 1984. A Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World. Papermac.
Pizzey, G. 1980. A Field Guide to the Birds of Australia. Collins. Sydney.
Originally published in MURUK 4(3):110 co-authored with Richard Gregory-Smith
