What is "fairy martin"

Fairy \Fair"y\, a.

1. Of or pertaining to fairies.

2. Given by fairies; as, fairy money.
   --Dryden.

   Fairy bird (Zo["o]l.), the Euoropean little tern ( Sterna minuta); -- called also sea swallow, and hooded tern.

   Fairy bluebird. (Zo["o]l.) See under Bluebird.

   Fairy martin (Zo["o]l.), a European swallow ( Hirrundo ariel) that builds flask-shaped nests of mud on overhanging cliffs.

   Fairy rings or Fairy circles, the circles formed in grassy lawns by certain fungi (as Marasmius Oreades), formerly supposed to be caused by fairies in their midnight dances; also, the mushrooms themselves. Such circles may have diameters larger than three meters.

   Fairy shrimp (Zo["o]l.), a European fresh-water phyllopod crustacean ( Chirocephalus diaphanus); -- so called from its delicate colors, transparency, and graceful motions. The name is sometimes applied to similar American species.

   Fairy stone (Paleon.), an echinite.

n. (taxlink Petrochelidon ariel species noshow=1), an Australian bird of the swallow family.

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. It has no subspecies.

This is a bird of open country near water, and is usually seen near its nest sites in cliffs, culverts or bridges.