From Opus

Photo by rebelxt
Adelaide, Australia, October 2005

Artamus cyanopterus

[edit] Identification

• Deep brown-grey
• Dark blue grey wings with white edges
• White patch on outer wing
• Black tail has broad white tip
• Silver-white underwings
• Blue bill with black tip
• Dark brown iris

Sexes similar

Juvenile
Photo by rebelxt
Adelaide, Australia, October 2005

Juvenile

• Grey brown with buff and cream streaks and mottling

[edit] Similar species

Little Woodswallow is smaller and has no white line on wing.

[edit] Distribution

Found in south, southeast and east Australia, including Tasmania.
Locally common in its range.

[edit] Taxonomy

There are 2 subspecies:

• A. c. cyanopterus in east and southeast Australia, Tasmania, Kangaroo Island and islands in Bass Strait
• A. c. perthi from southwest Australia east to Eyre Peninsula

These two subspecies are only weakly differentiated and integrade in south Australia.

[edit] Habitat

Woodland, open forests and agricultural area.

[edit] Behaviour

Often seen perched. Forages singly, in pairs or small groups. Often in mixed-species flocks.

[edit] Diet

Feeds mostly on insects taken on the wing, takes also nectar.

[edit] Breeding

Breeding season from August to February. Usually a solitary nester, sometimes co-operative with helpers. The bowl shaped nest is built by both sexes from twigs, grass and roots, and is lined with fine grass. Lays 2 - 3 eggs. Both sexes incubate the eggs and care for the young.

Southern populations migrate north in austral winter, eg leaving Tasmania in April and returning in October.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2011. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to August 2011. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
2. Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2009. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 14: Bush-shrikes to Old World Sparrows. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553507

• List of references

[edit] External Links