Artamus cinereus
The Black-faced Woodswallow is a smokey grey-brown above with a black face around the base of the bill and the eyes. The underparts are lighter grey with a black undertail in the race cinereus or a white undertail in the race albiventris of north-eastern Queensland. The black tail feathers are tipped white. The bluish bill is tipped black. Young birds are mainly brown, with extensive streaking, the underparts are washed buff-brown and they have a pale brown bill. May be seen in groups, often with other woodswallows, and roosts in tight clusters in trees during storms or sudden cold weather.
Not Threatened
The Black-faced Woodswallow is a smokey grey-brown above with a black face around the base of the bill and the eyes. The underparts are lighter grey with a black undertail in the race cinereus or a white undertail in the race albiventris of north-eastern Queensland. The black tail feathers are tipped white. The bluish bill is tipped black. Young birds are mainly brown, with extensive streaking, the underparts are washed buff-brown and they have a pale brown bill. May be seen in groups, often with other woodswallows, and roosts in tight clusters in trees during storms or sudden cold weather.
The Black-faced Woodswallow is similar to the Dusky Woodswallow, A. cyanopterus, and the Masked Woodswallow, A. personatus. It differs from the Dusky by being paler overall and lacks the white streak along the leading edge of the wing. The Masked Woodswallow has a larger and more defined face mask that extends down the throat to the upper breast, bordered by a white crescent. It also has paler underparts and a pale grey rather than black tail.
17-20cm, 35 g
Taxonomy: Artamus cinereus Vieillot, 1817, Timor; error = south coast of Western Australia opposite Archipelago of the Recherche. Race name dealbatus is a replacement for hypoleucus (itself a new name for albiventris, which preoccupied), since type specimen of hypoleucus is from an intergrade population. Geographical variation rather complex and not fully understood; races intergrade extensively where they meet, e.g. nominate race intergrading with melanops over very wide area across SW of species' range; further study desirable. Five subspecies currently recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * perspicillatus Bonaparte, 1850 - Timor, Leti and Sermata Is, in E Lesser Sundas. * melanops Gould, 1865 - N, C & inland SE Australia. * cinereus Vieillot, 1817 - SW Australia. * normani ( Mathews, 1923) - SC New Guinea and NE Australia (C & S Cape York Peninsula, and inland NE Queensland). * dealbatus Schodde & Mason, 1999 - EC Queensland.
The Black-faced Woodswallow is found in open country, often far from water, as well as in open woodlands, around lakes and wetlands and in irrigated areas.
Feeds on insects. It perches on shrubs, fences and telegraph wires, darting down to catch prey and will often hover. It will also eat nectar. Often feeds in mixed flocks with swifts and swiflets, and also associates with other woodswallows and the White-winged Triller.
Breeding season: August to January; after rain in arid regions.Clutch Size: Three to four.
