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Black-faced WoodswallowAlternate name(s): "Grey-breasted Woodswallow", "White-bellied Woodswallow", "White-vented Woodswallow" ![]() Size: 18-20 cm Weight: 32-40 g |
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Similar |
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Photos |
Race "cinereus"
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Frontal view of a Black-faced Woodswallow looking sideways
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Mellenbye Station, ca. 50 km NE of Morawa, WA, September 2022]
Race "melanops"
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Close-up frontal view of an adult Black-faced Woodswallow
[Near Wee Waa, NSW, May 2023]
Close-up frontal view of a Black-faced Woodswallow looking sideways
[Near Wee Waa, NSW, May 2023]
Close-up frontal/ventral view of a Black-faced Woodswallow
[Near Wee Waa, NSW, February 2023]
Close-up near-lateral view of a Black-faced Woodswallow
looking towards the observer
[Near Pilliga, NSW, July 2023]
Near-lateral view of a Black-faced Woodswallow looking towards the observer
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bowra Wildlife Sanctuary, near Cunnamulla, QLD, September 2017]
Near-lateral view of a Black-faced Woodswallow
[Near Cryon, NSW, September 2017]
Near-lateral view of a Black-faced Woodswallow
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[September 2018]
Lateral view of a Black-faced Woodswallow; this is one of the
birds whose
calls were
recorded on 20 June 2019
[Hungerford to Bourke Road, north-western NSW, June 2019]
Lateral view of a moulting Black-faced Woodswallow
[Near Cryon, NSW, March 2022]
Lateral view of a Black-faced Woodswallow shaking its feathers
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, September 2006]
Lateral view of Black-faced Woodswallows resting in a tree
[June 2011]
Close-up lateral/ventral view of a Black-faced Woodswallow
[Near Wee Waa, NSW, November 2023]
Ventral view of Black-faced Woodswallows in a dead tree
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, September 2006]
Lateral view of a Black-faced Woodswallow in flight
[Near Cryon, NSW, June 2012]
Black-faced Woodswallow in a "hairpin bend"
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, September 2006]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Close-up near-frontal view of a juvenile Black-faced Woodswallow moulting
into adult plumage
[Near Wee Waa, NSW, February 2023]
Lateral view of a juvenile Black-faced Woodswallow moulting into
adult plumage
[Near Wee Waa, NSW, February 2023]
Near-lateral view of a juvenile Black-faced Woodswallow
[Near Cryon, NSW, March 2022]
Race "melanops", "small-masked" variety
Birds in the northern tropics tend to be browner than their cousins in the South and they have smaller facial masks.
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ADULT |
Near-frontal view of a Black-faced Woodswallow; note the very small
black facial mask, which is basically a small triangle around the eye
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Turkey Creek Airstrip, Warmun, WA, May 2014]
Lateral view of a Black-faced Woodswallow (photo courtesy of
J. Greaves)
[Turkey Creek Airstrip, Warmun, WA, May 2014]
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Breeding information |
Breeding season: Aug - Dec | Eggs: 3 - 4 | Incubation period: 14 - 16 days | Fledging age: ca. 18 days |
The core breeding season listed in the table above applies to the southern half of the continent. Like most species of Australian Woodswallows, Black-faced Woodswallows can in principle breed at any time of year. Their breeding season depends on geographic latitude and, especially in the semi-arid to arid interior, on seasonal conditions.
Nest building: Female & male | Incubation: Female & male | Dependent care: Female & male |
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Nest |
"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal] |
Type: Basket | Material: Twigs, dry grass stalks | Height above ground: <2 m |
Overview of the location of a Black-faced Woodswallow nest in a
number of stack steel mats
(photo courtesy of M. Mackay)
[Coober Pedy, SA, September 2016]
Black-faced Woodswallow feeding its chicks
(photo courtesy of M. Mackay)
[Coober Pedy, SA, September 2016]
Black-faced Woodswallow chicks in their nest
(photo courtesy of M. Mackay)
[Coober Pedy, SA, September 2016]
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Eggs |
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay] |
Size: 22 x 17 mm | Colour: Creamy, with light- to mid-brown speckles | Shape: Tapered oval |
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Behaviour |
Social behaviour: Communal | Mobility: Locally nomadic | Elementary unit: Small flock |
We have seen Black-faced Woodswallows in a flock of about 10, executing extreme flight manouvers with very tight bends. Although a relatively small bird, one can hear the air swishing through their wing feathers in these tight bends. Their behavioural patterns are in some respects reminiscent of big raptors - they can hover in flight before diving down like falcons. In others they resemble more those of Rainbow Bee-eaters, for example when using long halms as perches for hunting in grassland.
Black-faced Woodswallows in a huddle
[Near Wee Waa, NSW, February 2023]
Black-faced Woodswallows by a
roadside
[Near Cryon, NSW, June 2012]
Black-faced Woodswallow on a clod of soil in a
fallow field
[Near Cryon, NSW, June 2012]
Like other species of
woodswallows,
this family of Black-faced Woodswallows likes to huddle
[Near Narrabri, NSW, February 2008]
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Food, Diet |
Adults: Small insects | Dependents: As adults | Water intake: Daily(?) |
Like all members of the Artamus family known to us, Black-faced Woodswallows hunt small insects which they devour in-flight. There are reports of them also feeding on nectar, which we have not seen yet.
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Call(s)/Song |
For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own;
comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.
blfwood_20190620_4.m4a |
melanops (NW NSW) |
Contact calls(?) | © MD | |
blfwood_20190620.m4a |
melanops (NW NSW) |
Warning call(?) | © MD | |
blfwood_20190620_2.m4a |
melanops (NW NSW) |
Alarm call(?) | © MD | |
blfwood_20190620_3.m4a |
melanops (NW NSW) |
Various | © MD |
More Black-faced Woodswallow sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.