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Fairy Martin (Petrochelidon ariel)

The Fairy Martin is a small, highly social swallow that breeds in colonies across Australia. It uses natural and built structures near open water, so colonies and mud supplies can occur within bridges, culverts, cliffs and other work areas. It is listed as least concern and is not listed as endangered, vulnerable or near threatened in Australia, but Queensland treats it as a least concern colonial breeder, requiring a high risk species management program before a breeding place is tampered with.

Conservation status

Queensland, Nature Conservation Act 1992: Colonial breeder. Least concern in Queensland, but it breeds in colonies, so tampering with a breeding place needs a high risk species management program rather than the low risk program.

Migration and breeding season

Fairy Martins are migratory breeders in Australia. Breeding timing varies between regions and years, with nesting recorded from June to February, and the main activity generally occurring from late winter through summer.

Breeding mode: Colonial breeder. Bottle-shaped mud nests are packed closely together under bridges, in culverts, caves, cliff faces, rock crevices, dead trees and other structures.

Colony size: Colonies commonly contain a few tens of nests. A Victorian study recorded 8 to 29 nests per colony, and the largest known site held 700 nests.

Clutch size: Usually 4 to 5 eggs. Recorded clutch sizes range from 2 to 6 eggs.

Incubation: About 15 days in one account, with a recorded range of 12 to 18 days and a mean of 13.7 days.

Nestling period: 17 to 32 days from hatching to fledging, with a mean of 22.1 days.

Breeding frequency: Pairs may produce two or three broods, and nests may be reused during the long breeding season by the original pair or later-arriving pairs.

Site fidelity and active colonies: Some adults return to the same colony in the following year. An active breeding place may show fresh mud collection, birds carrying mud or food, repeated flights into culverts or under structures, calling, incubation activity and adults feeding young. Because nests are concentrated and nesting is asynchronous, protect the whole colony and avoid works near active nests where practicable.

Timing can shift with rainfall, food supply, local conditions and latitude, so inspect bridges, culverts, caves, cliffs and other colony structures before clearing or construction, and schedule works outside the active nesting period where practicable.

  • Northward departure from southern breeding areas: Many birds move north after the summer breeding season, although departure timing varies between regions and individuals.
  • Non-breeding presence in northern Australia: Fairy Martins winter in northern Australia, with some birds moving beyond Australia to New Guinea and Indonesia.
  • Southward arrival at breeding areas: Birds arrived in the Victorian study area in September, with southern breeding activity developing through spring.
  • Breeding in Australia: Breeding has been recorded from June to December in South Australia, from August to January more broadly, and with active nests in Victoria often continuing until February.
  • Eggs, nestlings and dependent young: Laying commonly begins in October in the Victorian study area, but asynchronous nesting means eggs and dependent young can occur across much of the breeding season.
  • Highest clearing risk: The highest risk period is June to February, when active colonies may contain eggs, nestlings or dependent young, and when repeated disturbance can disrupt concentrated nesting birds.

Identification: Appearance

Fairy Martins are small, compact swallows with a reddish head, pale rump and short, slightly forked tail. They are often noticed as active groups around ponds, bridges, culverts and other structures that contain colonies.

Adults have a reddish-brown to pinkish-red crown and nape, iridescent blue to dark upperparts, brown wings and tail, and clean white to dull-white underparts. The pale or white rump is conspicuous in flight.

The tail looks short and almost square when the bird is flying. Both sexes look alike. Young birds are duller and browner.

Body length: About 12 cm

Weight: About 11 g

  • Small, dumpy swallow.
  • Short, shallowly forked tail.
  • White rump and pale underparts.
  • Usually flies in flocks.

Identification: Calls and similar species

The call is a soft churring or twittering sound. Other descriptions include a dry buzzing call, such as 'frrrtt', and a high-pitched twittering song.

Tree Martins have a darker, blue-black head and a less conspicuous or dirty-white rump. Welcome Swallows are larger, with a more sharply forked tail and white patches rather than the Fairy Martin's pale rump.

Field sign: Bottle-shaped mud nests with a narrow, slightly downward-angled entrance tunnel.

Other signs: Look for repeated flights into a structure, mud collection around ponds, and groups feeding over open water. Droppings, whitewash, stains and odour are not reliable primary identification signs for this species.

  • Check the pale rump in flight.
  • Do not rely on tail shape alone, because the Fairy Martin's short tail can look almost square.

Identification: Working-site identification

A rapid stream of small swallows entering and leaving a bridge, culvert, pipe, cave ceiling or building eave is a strong sign that a colony may be present. Inspect from a safe distance before entering the structure or starting works.

  • Watch for birds carrying mud or grass.
  • Listen for churring and twittering around nest structures.
  • Search ceilings, overhangs and sheltered vertical surfaces for closely packed mud nests.
  • Treat old nests cautiously, as unused nests may provide shelter for microbats outside the breeding season.

Distribution: Australian range

The Fairy Martin occurs widely across Australia. It is recorded in New South Wales, the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia, with movements between southern and northern areas.

The species occurs across mainland Australia and is mapped in all Australian states and territories. In the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges it has been recorded from coastal areas and inland sites, including Second Valley, Victor Harbor, Monarto, Greenock and Port Gawler.

It is a summer breeding visitor in parts of southern Australia. It winters in northern Australia and may be seen in open country near water during seasonal movements.

Local movement: Many birds move north after the southern breeding season.

Tasmania: Only occasional summer records are reported.

  • New South Wales
  • Northern Territory
  • Queensland
  • South Australia
  • Tasmania
  • Victoria
  • Western Australia

Distribution: Overseas records

Some birds reach New Guinea and Indonesia. Vagrant records have also been reported from New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.

Distribution: Site assessment

A site may be relevant even when Fairy Martins are not present during the inspection. Check suitable structures and nearby mud and foraging areas for old nests, fresh repairs and regular bird activity.

  • Review records for bridges, culverts, riverbanks and wetland edges.
  • Consider seasonal presence when programming demolition, repairs or vegetation removal.
  • Record the location of each colony separately from nearby feeding areas.

Habitat: Features to look for

Fairy Martins prefer open country near water. On works sites, look for open airspace over ponds, wetlands, rivers, drainage lines, playing fields and other open ground beside sheltered nesting structures.

Suitable habitat commonly combines water, exposed mud and an open flight path. Dense revegetation can reduce the open foraging space used by this species.

The species is often seen close to nest sites, especially where a bridge, culvert, cliff or similar structure is beside water.

  • Ponds, wetlands and stormwater basins.
  • Rivers, creeks and riparian corridors.
  • Open fields, clearings and broad areas beside water.
  • Exposed banks or damp ground that can supply mud.

Habitat: Natural settings

Natural nesting and activity areas include riverbanks, cliff faces, rock crevices, caves, rocky overhangs and dead trees with suitable holes. Riparian vegetation and wetland margins can support colonies where open water and mud are nearby.

Habitat: Built environments

Fairy Martins readily use human structures. Bridges, culverts, stormwater pipes, building eaves and similar sheltered surfaces can function as breeding places.

  • Inspect structures over or beside water.
  • Check the underside of bridge decks and the ceilings of culverts.
  • Look at building eaves, pipes and sheltered wall surfaces.
  • Include access tracks, work platforms and laydown areas in the habitat assessment.

Foraging habitat: Foraging behaviour

Fairy Martins catch flying insects in open airspace, usually in flocks. Their feeding habitat may extend beyond the colony, so clearing or construction near a nest can affect birds using nearby water and open ground.

The species usually feeds high in the air, often above ponds, playing fields and open country. It may descend to skim low over water or pick insects from near the water surface.

Diet: Flying insects

Typical feeding height: Generally high in the air, with lower flights over water also possible

  • Watch for loose or dense flocks feeding above open areas.
  • Look above ponds, wetlands, river corridors and clearings.
  • Record regular flight paths between colonies and feeding areas.

Foraging habitat: Habitat elements to retain

Retain open areas near active colonies where practicable. Avoid replacing open water margins and flight space with dense vegetation, temporary structures or stockpiles.

  • Keep access to ponds and damp mud areas.
  • Avoid blocking regular flight paths with cranes, scaffolding or high screens where alternatives exist.
  • Limit dust, lighting and activity near feeding and drinking areas.

Breeding habitat: Nest structure

Fairy Martins are colonial mud-nesters. They build bottle-shaped nests in sheltered sites near water and mud, and both adults build the nest, incubate the eggs and care for young.

The nest is a retort or bottle-shaped mud structure with a narrow entrance tunnel. It is lined with dried grass and feathers. The bowl is about 15 cm across and the entrance tunnel can be 5 to 30 cm long.

Nests are often packed closely together, with many built side by side on the same ceiling, wall or sheltered surface.

Typical clutch: 4 to 5 eggs

Incubation: About 15 days in one field account, with 12 to 18 days recorded in a Victorian study

Young in nest: Hatching to fledging averaged 22.1 days in the Victorian study

  • Fresh nests may be darker, cleaner and intact around the entrance.
  • Older nests may be weathered, broken or partly occupied by other animals.
  • Look above head height and in areas that are difficult to access safely.

Breeding habitat: Breeding season

Breeding timing varies by region. Records include August to January, June to December and a long summer breeding season. In the Yarra Valley, birds arrived in September, usually commenced laying in October and active nests remained in most colonies until February.

Nesting is generally asynchronous between and within colonies. Different nests may therefore contain eggs, small young, large young or recently fledged birds at the same time.

  • Plan inspections and works around the local breeding period.
  • Do not assume a colony is inactive because some nests are empty.
  • Recheck colonies before each work stage, particularly after delays.

Breeding habitat: Breeding place protection

Availability of suitable nesting places is a major management consideration. Retain natural and built structures with active or reusable nests where possible, and obtain specialist advice before removal, sealing, cleaning or modification.

  • Keep works outside the nesting period where practicable.
  • Do not block entrances, install exclusion materials or remove nests without an approved method.
  • Protect nearby mud sources and open flight space.

Sheltering habitat: Shelter around nest sites

Specific Fairy Martin roost sites are not well documented. The nest structure and surrounding bridge, culvert, cave or building may provide shelter, while vacated mud nests can be used by microbats outside the breeding season.

Sheltered ceilings, overhangs and enclosed structures reduce exposure to weather and provide secure places for nests. Inspect these features even when no birds are visible.

  • Cave ceilings and rocky overhangs.
  • Undersides of bridges.
  • Culvert and stormwater pipe ceilings.
  • Building eaves and other sheltered structures.

Sheltering habitat: Old nests and other fauna

Vacated mud nests may provide refuge for microbats, including wattle bats and the small long-eared bat. A structure with old Fairy Martin nests should therefore be checked for other fauna before repair, demolition or nest removal.

  • Inspect at suitable times and use a qualified fauna spotter catcher where required.
  • Check for bats, fresh droppings, staining, noise and animals entering or leaving nests.
  • Do not seal or disturb occupied nests until the fauna assessment is complete.

Sheltering habitat: Roosting guidance

Communal roost sizes and dedicated non-breeding roost locations are not well established for this species. Use observed activity, local records and the structure's features to identify likely shelter, and manage the whole structure rather than only individual nests.

Colonies and breeding places: What a colony looks like

A Fairy Martin colony is a group of closely packed bottle-shaped mud nests on a sheltered surface. Colonies may contain a few tens of nests, but much larger sites are possible, so one breeding place can hold a substantial share of the local birds.

Look for rows or clusters of mud nests attached to a cave ceiling, cliff, bridge, culvert, pipe, building eave, dead tree or similar structure. Active colonies may be noisy and busy, with birds repeatedly entering and leaving nest tunnels.

A colony can remain active over an extended breeding season. Nests may be reused by the original occupants or by later-arriving pairs.

Recorded colony sizes: 8 to 29 nests in a Victorian study, usually a few tens of nests, with a largest known site of 700 nests

Site fidelity: Returning adults generally nested at the same colony site. At least 16% of adults and 5% of fledglings returned to the study area in the following year on average.

  • Closely packed bottle or retort-shaped nests.
  • Fresh mud repairs or clean entrance tunnels.
  • Adults carrying mud, grass or food.
  • Birds entering and leaving several nests.
  • Fledglings perched nearby or making short flights.

Colonies and breeding places: Breeding places to inspect

Inspect both natural and built structures. Colonies are often close to water and mud, but the nest surface itself may be some distance inside a culvert, beneath a bridge or under a building eave.

  • Wetland trees, dead trees and hollow trees.
  • Lignum, reedbeds and wetland margins where they provide open water, mud or sheltered structure.
  • Riverbanks, sandbanks, cliffs, caves and rock crevices.
  • Bridges, culverts, stormwater pipes, buildings and eaves.
  • Islands and other sheltered wetland or river features where access is limited.

Colonies and breeding places: Disturbance and flushing risk

Repeated approach, vibration, noise, lighting and changes to the structure can cause adults to leave nests. Flushing is difficult to judge in a colony because birds may remain quiet or move between nests, and apparently empty nests may contain eggs or young.

There is no species-specific disturbance distance established here. Set a conservative exclusion area around the active colony, determined by the ecologist according to visibility, access, noise, vibration, equipment and the sensitivity of the structure.

  • Keep personnel, plant and vehicles outside the assessed buffer.
  • Avoid entering culverts or working below nests during active breeding.
  • Use screens, quiet equipment and low-impact access only when recommended by the fauna ecologist.
  • Stop work if adults repeatedly flush, circle the colony, alarm-call or fail to return.

Colonies and breeding places: Planning and legal controls

Schedule bridge, culvert, cliff, cave and building works outside the local nesting period where practicable. If works cannot be avoided, obtain a site-specific assessment, mark the active breeding place, establish a buffer and monitor behaviour before and during the works.

In Queensland, tampering with the breeding place of a least concern colonial breeder requires a high risk species management program under the Nature Conservation (Animals) Regulation 2020. Confirm the current Queensland requirements with DETSI before works begin.

  • Do not remove, seal, wash down or relocate nests without an approved management approach.
  • Retain active and reusable nesting structures where practicable.
  • Protect mud collection areas and open flight paths.
  • Reassess after flooding, major storms, structure repairs or changes to water levels.

Threats: Loss or modification of breeding places

The Fairy Martin is nationally least concern, but local colonies can be affected quickly because many nests may be concentrated at one breeding place. Development planning should focus on retaining nesting structures, open foraging areas, mud supplies and safe access around colonies.

Demolition, bridge replacement, culvert cleaning, sealing of pipes, cliff stabilisation and removal of hollow or dead trees can destroy nests or remove future nesting surfaces. A colony may be lost even when only part of a structure is modified.

  • Inspect before demolition, repair, cleaning or exclusion works.
  • Retain suitable natural and built nesting surfaces where feasible.
  • Treat old nests as potential future breeding habitat and possible microbat shelter.

Threats: Disturbance during breeding

Noise, vibration, lighting, dust, machinery and repeated human access can cause adults to flush or abandon nests. Weather can also contribute to nest and brood failure, so exposed or unstable colonies require careful planning.

  • Keep works outside the local breeding period where possible.
  • Use a marked buffer and a fauna spotter catcher or ecologist for high-risk activities.
  • Stop and reassess if birds repeatedly leave the colony or alarm-call.

Threats: Loss of open feeding habitat and mud

Dense revegetation, clearing of wetland margins, drainage changes and construction compounds can reduce open airspace, insect habitat or access to wet mud. These changes may affect birds even when the nests remain intact.

  • Maintain open areas near water.
  • Avoid covering or contaminating mud collection areas.
  • Keep temporary stockpiles, fencing and structures out of important flight paths where practicable.
  • Manage dust, sediment and polluted runoff around ponds and waterways.

Threats: Flooding and water management

Flooding, changing water levels and altered drainage can damage mud nests, remove nest access or change the availability of mud and flying insects. Water management near a colony should be planned with the colony's elevation, structure and breeding stage in mind.

Waterbird colony guidance about islands, reedbeds, lignum and flood-dependent nesting sites does not directly describe Fairy Martin colonies. For this species, apply the same practical principle of avoiding sudden water, access or habitat changes around an active breeding place.

  • Avoid sudden drawdown, inundation or discharge changes beside an active colony.
  • Inspect after flood events and major storms.
  • Keep machinery and people away from unstable banks and wetland edges.
  • Obtain local ecological advice before altering drainage near a colony.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

Survey Fairy Martins around open areas near water and likely nesting structures. Colonies can be conspicuous, but nests may be hidden in culverts, under bridges or inside other structures, so combine observation with a careful inspection.

Review recent records, aerial imagery, site plans and the location of water, bridges, culverts, cliffs, caves, riverbanks, buildings and other structures.

Identify structures that could support closely packed mud nests. Check whether works could affect flight paths, mud collection areas, open foraging habitat or access to a colony.

Treat a known or suspected colony as a high sensitivity site because a single breeding place can support a substantial part of the local population.

  • Map all potential breeding places and nearby open areas over water, playing fields, ponds, rivers or other open ground.
  • Check previous project records for Fairy Martin observations, nests, colonies, nest reuse and seasonal activity.
  • Confirm whether the site is in Queensland and whether proposed works may tamper with a breeding place.

Survey methodology: 2. Field detection

Search likely structures from a distance first. Watch for small, dark and pale swallows with a reddish head, pale rump and short, slightly forked tail.

Look and listen for repeated flights into culverts, under bridges, caves, cliff faces, building eaves and other structures. Soft churring, twittering or a dry buzzing call can help locate birds.

Inspect accessible structures for bottle shaped mud nests. Nests are usually clustered closely together and may have a downward angled entrance tunnel.

  • Conduct observations during daylight, when birds are active and flying insects are available.
  • Watch the structure from more than one position so that entrances and concealed sides are covered.
  • Look for birds carrying mud or nesting material, adults entering or leaving nests, begging young, fresh droppings, feathers and recently repaired nests.
  • Do not enter a culvert, cave or confined structure until it has been assessed for safety and other fauna.

Survey methodology: 3. Timing and effort

The breeding period varies by region. Records include breeding from August to January, and a broader breeding period of June to December. In Victoria, birds arrived in September, usually commenced laying in October, and active nests were recorded through February.

In southern Australia, Fairy Martins generally move north after the summer breeding season. Plan additional checks during the local breeding season and before works that could affect a known colony.

There is no single survey effort that suits every colony. Increase the number of visits where structures are concealed, activity is intermittent or works extend over several weeks.

  • Survey in suitable daylight weather, preferably when wind and rain are not suppressing flying insect activity.
  • Repeat observations where no birds are seen but suitable nests or structures are present.
  • Use a combination of direct observation, inspection from safe access points and consultation with local ecologists or land managers.
  • Record the date, start and finish time, weather, observers, survey duration, structures checked and limitations.

Survey methodology: 4. Record and map findings

Map each nest cluster, active nest, vacant nest, access point and nearby mud source. Record whether the structure is natural or built.

Describe the colony size as the number of nests counted or estimated. Colonies may contain a few tens of nests, and a known large site has contained 700 nests. A Victorian study recorded colonies of 8 to 29 nests.

Record behaviour that indicates breeding, including nest construction, adults entering nests, incubation exchanges, feeding visits, fledglings and defensive activity.

  • Photograph nests and the surrounding structure from a safe distance, without entering a colony or touching nests.
  • Record whether nests appear fresh, repaired, occupied, vacant or reused.
  • Record nearby open foraging areas, ponds, rivers, mud collection areas, lighting and proposed work footprints.
  • Treat an occupied nest cluster as an active breeding place until a suitably qualified ecologist confirms otherwise.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Avoid colonies and breeding places

Avoid Fairy Martin breeding places wherever practicable. Before works begin, confirm the regulatory pathway, survey the site properly and make sure every worker understands that a colony is not just a group of individual nests.

Redesign or relocate works to retain active colonies, nest structures and safe access to them. Retain natural and built structures where they can remain safe and functional.

Keep works outside the local nesting period where practicable. Do not rely on a calendar alone, because breeding can be asynchronous between colonies and within a colony, and nests may be reused during a long breeding season.

Set a site specific no entry and no disturbance buffer around an active colony. The buffer must reflect the structure, access route, machinery, noise, vibration, lighting and the risk of flushing birds. Have the ecologist document the boundary and review it if birds show disturbance.

  • Fence and sign the exclusion area before plant arrives.
  • Keep vehicles, stockpiles, scaffolds, access tracks, lighting and washdown areas outside the agreed buffer.
  • Do not block nest entrances, culverts, bridge spaces, cave ceilings or flight paths.
  • Maintain open foraging areas near water and avoid dense revegetation that would remove the species' preferred open habitat.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Approvals and permits

Confirm the legal status of the project before disturbance. Fairy Martin is listed as least concern in Australia and is not listed under the EPBC Act, but other matters at the site may still trigger approval requirements.

For Queensland projects, obtain advice from the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation and use the required species management program pathway where applicable. Tampering with the breeding place of a least concern colonial breeder requires a high risk species management program, rather than the low risk program used for other least concern animals.

Check state or territory wildlife legislation, local government requirements, bridge and road authority conditions, Aboriginal cultural heritage requirements and any approval attached to the site. Obtain permits before nest, colony or structure disturbance.

  • Document the approval decision and conditions in the construction environmental management plan.
  • Confirm whether an EPBC Act referral is needed for the project as a whole, including impacts on other protected matters.
  • Nominate the fauna ecologist and spotter catcher who can approve or stop relevant work.
  • Do not assume that a vacant looking nest can be removed without approval.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Colony and roost planning

A Fairy Martin colony is a group of closely packed bottle shaped mud nests on a cave ceiling, cliff, bridge, culvert, building or similar structure. Colonies may range from several nests to many hundreds.

The species' breeding colony should not be confused with a maternity roost. Fairy Martin maternity roosts are not a recognised feature of its ecology. Vacated mud nests can provide refuge for microbats outside the breeding season, so check structures for bats before any nest or structure work.

Site fidelity is relevant to planning. Some adults return to the same colony, while most first year birds nest away from their natal colony. Nesting can also occur in reused nests and can be asynchronous.

  • Treat every known colony as a recurring site, not a one season feature.
  • Arrange a bat assessment where vacant Fairy Martin nests, caves, culverts, bridges or other enclosed structures will be disturbed.
  • Retain safe access to mud supplies and nearby water where these features can be protected.
  • Include colony protection, bat checks and stop work actions in the method statement.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Pre clearance inspection and induction

Complete a pre clearance inspection as close as practicable to the start of works. Recheck after delays, major weather events or changes to the work footprint.

Use an appropriately experienced fauna ecologist to inspect all structures, including the undersides and concealed areas of bridges, culverts, buildings, cliffs and caves. Do not disturb nests during the inspection.

Brief the crew that Fairy Martins are colonial breeders and that one active breeding place may support many birds. Explain the visual signs of active nests and the exact stop work process.

  • Mark active and potential nests on plans and on the ground where this can be done without approaching the colony.
  • Place fauna exclusion fencing and warning signs before clearing or construction begins.
  • Provide the spotter catcher with contact details for the project manager, ecologist and wildlife carer or veterinarian.
  • Record the inspection, findings, photographs, approvals, weather and names of attendees at the induction.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Use staged and sequential clearing

Work slowly and in stages around any colony or nest structure. The fauna spotter catcher must have clear authority to stop work whenever the approved controls are not effective or new fauna risk is identified.

Start with low risk areas and retain the colony, nearby open foraging habitat and access to water until the final stage. Do not create a pinch point that forces birds into active machinery areas.

Use hand tools or low impact methods near structures where this reduces vibration, dust, noise or the risk of striking nests. Keep plant outside the agreed buffer.

Maintain daily communication between the supervisor, spotter catcher and ecologist while work is near an active breeding place.

  • Stop work before entering a buffer or changing the approved work method.
  • Keep access routes, lighting and temporary structures away from nest entrances and flight paths.
  • Do not pressure, chase, net or deliberately flush Fairy Martins from a colony.
  • Suspend work during heavy rain, flooding, unsafe conditions or any event that increases the risk of nest failure or worker harm.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Respond to an active breeding place

If an active nest, colony or repeated nesting flight is found, stop the affected work immediately. Withdraw people and plant to the agreed safe location and prevent further entry.

Contact the project ecologist and approval holder. Reassess the buffer, method, timing and regulatory requirements before work resumes.

Do not remove, seal, wash, relocate or repair an active nest unless this is specifically authorised and directed by the relevant authority and a suitably qualified person.

  • Protect the structure from vibration, dust, falling material, water discharge and changes to access.
  • Keep observers outside the buffer and limit visits to those needed for protection or monitoring.
  • If a colony is discovered in a culvert, bridge or building, retain an alternative safe access route and do not close the entrance.
  • Record the location, nest condition, bird behaviour, work activity, people involved and decisions made.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Handle fauna safely

Only authorised and appropriately trained people may handle a bird. A spotter catcher must decide whether intervention is necessary and safe.

Do not handle eggs or nestlings unless the approval, method statement and fauna specialist allow it. Nest relocation is not a routine control for this species.

If a bird is injured, contain it only when directed by the fauna specialist. Use a ventilated, secure container, keep it quiet and dark, and arrange prompt transfer to an approved wildlife carer or veterinarian.

  • Never give food or water to an injured bird unless directed by a veterinarian or wildlife carer.
  • Keep the container away from machinery, pets, heat and direct sun.
  • Record the time, location, apparent injury, photographs where safe, handler, container and receiving carer or veterinarian.
  • If the bird cannot be safely captured, secure the work area and seek specialist advice.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Manage records and stop work events

Maintain a daily fauna register while work is near a colony or potential breeding place. Include observations of adults, nests, fledglings, bats and other fauna using the structure.

Report any breach of the buffer, nest damage, bird injury, colony disturbance or unauthorised handling to the project manager and ecologist immediately.

Notify the relevant regulator where required by the approval or species management program.

  • Record start and finish times, weather, work locations, plant used, controls in place and fauna observations.
  • Record all stop work decisions, who made them, corrective actions and the time work recommenced.
  • Keep photographs, maps, permits, induction records, wildlife forms and correspondence with the project file.
  • Review the work method before resuming after an incident or unexpected colony discovery.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Complete post clearance checks

Do not treat completion of clearing as the end of the fauna obligation. Check the site, confirm that the colony and surrounding habitat remain functional, and close out every incident and approval condition.

Inspect the work area and retained structures after clearing or construction. Check for damaged nests, blocked entrances, injured birds, trapped fauna, new hazards and changes to flight access.

Inspect culverts, bridge spaces, caves, cliffs and building eaves from safe access points. Arrange a bat check where structures or vacant nests were disturbed.

Remove temporary fencing only when the ecologist confirms that the site is safe and the protection period has ended.

  • Confirm that no birds or other fauna remain inside plant, pipes, buildings, culverts or exclusion areas.
  • Check that drainage, water levels, mud sources and open foraging areas have not been unintentionally removed.
  • Photograph the completed protection works and retained colony structures.
  • Record the inspection date, personnel, findings and any corrective action.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Report and close out

Prepare a fauna and compliance report that compares the completed work with the approved method. Explain any deviation, stop work event, injury, nest damage or colony disturbance.

Submit reports to regulators, approval holders, clients and land managers as required. Keep records for the period required by the approval or species management program.

Where a colony was exposed to disturbance, obtain advice on whether follow up observations are needed during the remaining breeding period.

  • Include maps, nest and colony counts, photographs, dates, weather, work stages, buffers and monitoring results.
  • List all animals handled, their outcome and the receiving wildlife carer or veterinarian.
  • Record whether nests were retained, damaged, repaired, blocked or removed, and who authorised the action.
  • Update the site's environmental risk register and future work constraints.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Monitor retained and relocated fauna

Monitor an active or retained colony when required by the approval, risk assessment or ecologist. Look for continued adult attendance, nest construction, feeding visits, fledglings and signs of abandonment.

If an individual bird was temporarily contained or relocated under authority, confirm its handover and outcome with the wildlife carer or veterinarian. Do not release fauna without specialist direction.

Treat a relocated colony or nest as a specialist intervention requiring documented approval and follow up. Fairy Martins normally build colonies on suitable structures, and routine nest relocation should not be assumed to succeed.

  • Use the same observation points and recording method on each monitoring visit.
  • Keep visits brief and outside the colony buffer unless access is authorised.
  • Report abandonment, repeated flushing, nest collapse, injury or reduced activity promptly.
  • Record the end date and reason for stopping monitoring.

After habitat disturbance: 4. Review the project

Hold a short incident and lessons learned review with the project manager, ecologist, spotter catcher and site supervisor.

Check whether the survey found the colony, whether buffers were workable, whether the crew understood the controls and whether construction changed the site's value for foraging or nesting.

Carry the findings into future maintenance, bridge inspections, culvert works and rehabilitation plans.

  • Identify the cause of each unexpected fauna interaction.
  • Amend maps, procedures, induction material and emergency contacts.
  • Schedule future inspections before the next local breeding season where a colony or suitable structure remains.
  • Share relevant colony information with the land manager and asset owner.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Restore nesting structures

Rehabilitation should retain the features that Fairy Martins use, rather than simply planting more vegetation. The priority is safe nesting structure, open foraging habitat near water, suitable mud sources and protection from repeated disturbance.

Retain sound bridges, culverts, cliff faces, cave ceilings, rocky overhangs, building eaves and other structures that can support bottle shaped mud nests.

Where a project removes a suitable structure, ask the ecologist and asset owner whether an artificial nest surface or other replacement structure is appropriate. Design it for safe access, stable attachment, drainage, inspection and long term maintenance.

Do not install a nest box as a default Fairy Martin measure. Conventional enclosed nest boxes suit hollow nesting species, not the exposed mud colonies normally used by Fairy Martins.

  • Use rough, stable surfaces where mud can adhere and allow enough clearance for bottle shaped nests and entrance tunnels.
  • Keep replacement nest sites near open foraging habitat and, where possible, near water and mud supplies.
  • Avoid designs that trap birds, block access, create excessive heat or expose nests to falling material.
  • Have the design reviewed by a fauna ecologist and the structure owner before installation.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Consider other fauna using nest structures

Vacated Fairy Martin nests can provide refuge for microbats outside the breeding season. A replacement nest structure may therefore become relevant to more than one fauna group.

Do not install bat boxes or roost structures as a substitute for a Fairy Martin colony. Use bat boxes or other roost structures only where a bat assessment identifies a need and the design is approved by a bat specialist.

  • Inspect existing nests and enclosed structures for bats before cleaning, sealing or removing them.
  • Keep bat boxes and Fairy Martin nest surfaces separate where their placement, temperature or access requirements differ.
  • Record the location and purpose of every replacement structure.
  • Include future inspection and maintenance in the asset management plan.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Restore open habitat and water features

Restore open areas near water for aerial foraging. Fairy Martins feed on flying insects high in the air and may also forage low over ponds and other water bodies.

Avoid dense revegetation around a retained colony if it would close flight paths or remove open feeding areas. Use locally appropriate plants around water without blocking access to nesting structures.

Maintain natural or managed mud sources where this can be done without creating erosion, water quality or safety problems.

  • Reinstate open flight space beneath and around bridges and culverts where safe.
  • Protect ponds, rivers, wetlands and drainage features used for foraging or drinking.
  • Manage water levels and drainage so that retained structures are not flooded, scoured or made inaccessible.
  • Prevent sediment, chemicals and concrete washout from entering water or mud collection areas.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Manage weeds, lighting and disturbance

Control weeds that reduce open foraging areas or block access to nesting structures. Use methods that do not disturb an active colony or contaminate water.

Limit artificial lighting around colonies, culverts, bridges and water. Light can alter flight behaviour and increase disturbance, especially during evening and night works.

Keep permanent access, maintenance and inspection activities outside the colony buffer unless they have been assessed and approved.

  • Use downward directed, shielded lighting and switch off unnecessary lights near retained colonies.
  • Avoid lighting nest entrances, flight paths and nearby water.
  • Schedule weed control and maintenance outside the local breeding period where practicable.
  • Prevent repeated high noise, vibration and vehicle movements beside an active colony.

Rehabilitation actions: 5. Monitor rehabilitation

Inspect restored sites through at least the next relevant breeding period where the colony or nesting structure was retained or replaced. Look for new mud nests, returning adults, nest reuse and safe access.

Use monitoring to determine whether the structure, open habitat, water and mud supply remain suitable. Colonies may not establish immediately, so judge the site against habitat function as well as nest numbers.

Record results and adjust vegetation, lighting, drainage or access controls if the site is not functioning as intended.

  • Record inspection dates, weather, nest counts, bird activity, fledglings and evidence of other fauna use.
  • Monitor after major floods, repairs, vandalism or structural changes.
  • Keep replacement structures available for future use and repair them only under ecological advice.
  • Include Fairy Martin habitat in long term bridge, culvert, building and waterway maintenance plans.

Sources