Nocturnal foraging by a pair of Welcome Swallows (Hirundo neoxena) under artificial light in semi-arid Queensland

摘要

The Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena) is ubiquitous in Australia and is commonly seen foraging on the wing around rural or urban human habitations (Higgins et al. 2006). All swallow species forage primarily diurnally and on the wing, although cases of ground-foraging (Fitzsimons & Thomas 2012) and nocturnal foraging (Hobbs 1966) have been recorded. Welcome Swallows construct mud cup nests, held together with dried grass, often in anthropogenic structures such as among the rafters of buildings, under bridges, or in mine shafts; or inside caves or large tree hollows (Higgins et al. 2006).