The white-backed swallow is a member of the swallow family Hirundinidae and is endemic to Australia. It is the only species placed in the genus Cheramoeca. As with all swallows, it is characterised by adaptation to aerial feeding. It can be identified by its white back, surrounded by black wings and tail. It has a wide distribution, from the southern part of the Australian continent, up to the Tropic of Capricorn. The white-backed swallow prefers grasslands and will create a burrow nest.
Region
Southern and inland Australia
Typical Environment
Occurs widely across southern mainland Australia, extending north to around the Tropic of Capricorn. Favors open habitats such as grasslands, pastoral country, semi-arid shrublands, and lightly wooded farmland. Frequently associated with riparian corridors, road cuttings, and coastal or inland dunes that offer suitable sandy banks for burrowing nests. Usually avoids dense forests and heavily built-up urban centers but will forage over open paddocks and along waterways.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1200 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This swift, aerial insect-catcher is the only member of its genus and is distinctive for its striking white back contrasting with black wings and tail. It digs burrows into sandy or loamy banks to nest, sometimes forming loose colonies. Pairs are often seen coursing low over open country after flying insects, especially after rain when insect emergences peak.
Sitting white-backed swallow
Cheramoeca leucosterna
Pair of swallows on barbed wire fence
Temperament
loosely social and active
Flight Pattern
rapid, agile flight with quick wingbeats and short glides
Social Behavior
Typically seen in pairs or small groups, sometimes forming loose colonies at nesting banks. Both sexes excavate a burrow ending in a nest chamber lined with fine vegetation and feathers. They are monogamous within a breeding season, with a small clutch laid in spring–summer.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
Soft, high-pitched twittering and chittering calls given in flight and near nest sites. Vocalizations are simple and contact-oriented rather than elaborate songs.
