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Difference between revisions of "White-browed Woodswallow" - BirdForum Opus

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[[Image:White-browed_Woodswallow.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Male<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|Gallus|Gallus}}<br />Victoria, [[Australia]]]]
;Artamus superciliosus
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;[[:Category:Artamus|Artamus]] superciliosus
[[Image:White-browed_Woodswallow.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by Gallus<br />Photo taken: Victoria, Australia.]]
 
==Description==
 
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
==Distribution & Taxonomy==
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18 - 19cm. A sexually dimorphic Woodswallow:
 +
====Male====
 +
* Dark grey above and dark grey from chin to upper breast
 +
* Distinct clear white eyebrow
 +
* White tipped tail
 +
* Dark rufous underparts below breast
 +
* Dark brown eye
 +
* Pale blue-grey bill with black tip
 +
====Female====
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[[Image:White Browed-Woodsawllow-hna-8-12-08.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Female<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|Nora|Nora}}<br />Harkness Rd, Melton, Victoria, [[Australia]], December 2008]]
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* Generally duller and paler than male
 +
* Brownish wash above
 +
* Less conspicuous eyebrow
 +
* Much paler underparts below breast
 +
Juveniles are duller and browner than adults and are whitish spotted and streaked above and below.
 +
==Distribution==
 +
Found in central and inland eastern [[Australia]]. Irregular in other parts of the continent. Has bred in [[Tasmania]] and possibly in [[New Zealand]].<br />
 +
Locally common but irregularly.
 +
==Taxonomy==
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Monotypic.<br />
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Most closely related to [[Masked Woodswallow]].
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
 +
[[File:White-browed_Woodswallow_Flight_KD.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo &copy; by {{user|Ken+Doy|Ken Doy}}<br />Quilpie, [[Queensland]], 17 August 2020]]
 +
Eucalypt forests and woodlands, dry heaths, spinifex, farmlands, orchards and sometimes towns.
 
==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
 +
Feeds mainly on insects, takes sometimes also nectar. Nestlings are fed with grasshoppers, cicadas and large flying insects. Catches prey on wing, usually starting from a perch. Sometimes pounces on visible prey.<br />
 +
Usually seen in pairs or small groups, during migration in bigger flocks.<br />
 +
Breeds mainly from September to December, solitary or more often in loose colonies, sometimes in mixed colonies with [[Masked Woodswallow]]. A loose shallow nest is built from twigs, grasses and roots, and placed in a tree fork, hollow stump or fence post, about 1 m to 6 m above the ground. 2-3 eggs are laid.  Both sexes build the nest, incubate the eggs and feed the young. Colonies are sometimes suddenly abandoned because of food shortage.<br />
 +
Highly nomadic.
 +
==References==
 +
#{{Ref-Clements6thAug19}}#Rowley, I. and E. Russell (2020). White-browed Woodswallow (Artamus superciliosus), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.whbwoo5.01
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#{{Ref-Simpson98}}
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{{Ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
 
{{GSearch|Artamus+superciliosus}}
 
{{GSearch|Artamus+superciliosus}}
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{{GS-checked}}
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<br />
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<br />
  
 
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[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Artamus]]
[[Category:Birds]]
 

Latest revision as of 10:01, 20 April 2022

Male
Photo © by Gallus
Victoria, Australia
Artamus superciliosus

Identification

18 - 19cm. A sexually dimorphic Woodswallow:

Male

  • Dark grey above and dark grey from chin to upper breast
  • Distinct clear white eyebrow
  • White tipped tail
  • Dark rufous underparts below breast
  • Dark brown eye
  • Pale blue-grey bill with black tip

Female

Female
Photo © by Nora
Harkness Rd, Melton, Victoria, Australia, December 2008
  • Generally duller and paler than male
  • Brownish wash above
  • Less conspicuous eyebrow
  • Much paler underparts below breast

Juveniles are duller and browner than adults and are whitish spotted and streaked above and below.

Distribution

Found in central and inland eastern Australia. Irregular in other parts of the continent. Has bred in Tasmania and possibly in New Zealand.
Locally common but irregularly.

Taxonomy

Monotypic.
Most closely related to Masked Woodswallow.

Habitat

Photo © by Ken Doy
Quilpie, Queensland, 17 August 2020

Eucalypt forests and woodlands, dry heaths, spinifex, farmlands, orchards and sometimes towns.

Behaviour

Feeds mainly on insects, takes sometimes also nectar. Nestlings are fed with grasshoppers, cicadas and large flying insects. Catches prey on wing, usually starting from a perch. Sometimes pounces on visible prey.
Usually seen in pairs or small groups, during migration in bigger flocks.
Breeds mainly from September to December, solitary or more often in loose colonies, sometimes in mixed colonies with Masked Woodswallow. A loose shallow nest is built from twigs, grasses and roots, and placed in a tree fork, hollow stump or fence post, about 1 m to 6 m above the ground. 2-3 eggs are laid. Both sexes build the nest, incubate the eggs and feed the young. Colonies are sometimes suddenly abandoned because of food shortage.
Highly nomadic.

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2019. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World: v2019. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Rowley, I. and E. Russell (2020). White-browed Woodswallow (Artamus superciliosus), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.whbwoo5.01
  3. Simpson, K and N Day. 1998. Field Guide to the Birds of Australia. London: Christopher Helm. ISBN 0-7136-4877-5

Recommended Citation

External Links

GSearch checked for 2020 platform.

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