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Swallows and Martins (Hirundinidae)

Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena) - HBW 9, p. 667

French: Hirondelle messagère German: Glücksschwalbe Spanish: Golondrina Australiana

Taxonomy: Hirundo neoxena Gould, 1843, Tasmania.
Forms a superspecies with H. rustica, H. lucida, H. angolensis, H. tahitica, H. albigularis and H. aethiopica; sometimes treated as conspecific with H. tahitica, but differs morphologically (especially in bill size and in tail structure and markings). Races poorly defined; tail length increases slightly from SE Australia W to Eyre Peninsula and decreases in W Australia, more so in males than in females. Proposed race parsonsi from NE Australia (E Queensland), supposedly with less white in tail, considered indistinguishable. Two subspecie.. View all taxonomy...

Taxonomy: Hirundo neoxena Gould, 1843, Tasmania.
Forms a superspecies with H. rustica, H. lucida, H. angolensis, H. tahitica, H. albigularis and H. aethiopica; sometimes treated as conspecific with H. tahitica, but differs morphologically (especially in bill size and in tail structure and markings). Races poorly defined; tail length increases slightly from SE Australia W to Eyre Peninsula and decreases in W Australia, more so in males than in females. Proposed race parsonsi from NE Australia (E Queensland), supposedly with less white in tail, considered indistinguishable. Two subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

  • carteri (Mathews, 1912) - W Australia.
  • neoxena Gould, 1843 - SC & E Australia, Tasmania, Lord Howe I, Norfolk I, New Zealand (including Great Barrier I), Kermadec Is, Chatham Is and Auckland Is.

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