Fairy Martin
Fairy MartinFairy MartinFairy MartinFairy Martin

Fairy Martin

Petrochelidon ariel

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
5–10% · Rare
overall probability at Ningaloo Marine Park
21 Verified records at Ningaloo Marine Park
December Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The fairy martin (Petrochelidon ariel) is a member of the swallow family of passerine birds which breeds in Australia. It is migratory wintering through most of Australia, with some birds reaching New Guinea and Indonesia. It is increasingly a wanderer to New Zealand, where it may have bred. This species is frequently placed in the genus Hirundo as Hirundo ariel. This is a bird of open country near water, and is usually seen near its nest sites in cliffs, culverts or bridges. Wikipedia →

5–10% of wildlife watchers report a Fairy Martin sighting in Ningaloo Marine Park, based on 21 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Ningaloo Marine Park

Tree Martin
LC

Tree Martin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Petrochelidon nigricans

20–30% · Possible
Welcome Swallow
LC

Welcome Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hirundo neoxena

50–60% · Likely
White-backed Swallow
LC Endemic

White-backed Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cheramoeca leucosterna

<5% · Rare
Singing Honeyeater
LC Endemic

Singing Honeyeater

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gavicalis virescens

70–80% · Very likely
Pied Butcherbird
LC Endemic

Pied Butcherbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cracticus nigrogularis

50–60% · Likely
Yellow-throated Miner
LC Endemic

Yellow-throated Miner

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Manorina flavigula

50–60% · Likely
Torresian Crow
LC

Torresian Crow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Corvus orru

40–50% · Likely
Magpie-lark
LC

Magpie-lark

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Grallina cyanoleuca

30–40% · Possible
Brown Honeyeater
LC

Brown Honeyeater

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lichmera indistincta

30–40% · Possible
Zebra Finch
LC

Zebra Finch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Taeniopygia guttata

30–40% · Possible
White-winged Fairywren
LC Endemic

White-winged Fairywren

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Malurus leucopterus

30–40% · Possible
Western Bowerbird
LC Endemic

Western Bowerbird

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Chlamydera guttata

30–40% · Possible

📅 Monthly Probability

5–10
Jan
5–10
Feb
5–10
Mar
<5
Apr
<5
May
<5
Jun
5–10
Jul
<5
Aug
5–10
Sep
5–10
Oct
5–10
Nov
10–20
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
30–40%
2 Nitmiluk National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
5–10%
3 Daintree National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
5–10%
4 Ningaloo Marine Park 🇦🇺 Australia
5–10%
5 Kosciuszko National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
6 Flinders Ranges National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
7 Grampians National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
8 Great Otway National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
9 Blue Mountains National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
10 Booderee National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
11 Wilsons Promontory National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
12 Royal National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
13 Lamington National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
14 Litchfield National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
15 Noosa National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
16 Rakiura National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
Insufficient data
17 Kakadu National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Fairy Martin in Ningaloo Marine Park?

About 5% of wildlife watchers report a Fairy Martin sighting in Ningaloo Marine Park, based on 21 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Fairy Martin in Ningaloo Marine Park?

December has the highest sighting rate for Fairy Martin in Ningaloo Marine Park in our monthly data.

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