Cave Swallow vs Tree Martin

Cave Swallow

Petrochelidon fulva

Small19 gGrassland

The cave swallow measures 12 to 14 cm in length and weighs 19 g on average. The largest of the five subspecies, P. f. pallida, has an average wing length between 107.0 and 112.3 mm; the smallest subspecies, P. f. aequatorialis, has an average wing length between 93.0 and 93.5 mm. Differences between the sexes are minimal, both are similar in size and weight and are difficult to distinguish from their plumage. It has grey-blue upperparts and brown-tangerine forefront and throat. Voice: Cave swallow chicks begin giving faint calls shortly after hatching. As the chicks develop their calls become louder and more aggressive. These calls allow the chicks to communicate to the attending parent(s) their basic needs, such as hunger.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Tom and T Herman · CC BY 4.0

Tree Martin

Petrochelidon nigricans

Small15 gShrubland

The tree martin averages 13 cm (5.1 in) in length 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.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Astrid Osborne · CC0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Cave Swallow and Tree Martin.