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22

Little Woodwallow

(Artamus minor)
Size: 12-14 cm
Weight: 13-21 g

Similar
species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Little Woodswallow at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "derbyi"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Little Woodswallow (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Bird Billabong Road, near Arnhem Highway, NT, July 2018]

Frontal view of a Little Woodswallow (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Kakadu NP, NT, in July 2020]

Near-frontal view of a Little Woodswallow (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Buchanan Highway, NT, November 2018]

Near-frontal view of a Little Woodswallow (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Buchanan Highway, NT, November 2018]

Near-lateral view of a Little Woodswallow (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Cooloola NP, QLD, December 2017]

Near-lateral view of a Little Woodswallow (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Kakadu NP, NT, in July 2020]

Lateral view of a Little Woodswallow
[Timmallallie NP, NSW, December 2013]

Lateral view of a Little Woodswallow (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Bird Billabong Road, near Arnhem Highway, NT, July 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a Little Woodswallow (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Bird Billabong Road, near Arnhem Highway, NT, July 2018]

Dorsal view of a Little Woodswallow looking back at the observer (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Mary River Wilderness Retreat, NT, in July 2020]

Dorsal view of a Little Woodswallow (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Bird Billabong Road, near Arnhem Highway, NT, July 2018]

Ventral view of a Little Woodswallow
[Timmallallie NP, NSW, December 2013]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Aug - Jan Eggs: 2 - 3 Incubation period: ca. 16 days Fledging age: ca. 14 days

In arid regions Little Woodswallows will usually breed after good rainfall, also outside the core breeding season listed in the table above.

Nest building: Female & male Incubation: Female & male Dependent care: Female & male

Nest

"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Basket Material: Twigs, grass Height above ground: 0 - ? m

Little Woodswallows usually nest in crevices or on rock ledges, but these can also be substituted by suitable hollows in trees.

Overview of the location of a Little Woodswallow nest in a tree hollow (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Buchanan Highway, NT, November 2018]

View of the entrance to a Little Woodswallow nest in a tree hollow (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Buchanan Highway, NT, November 2018]

View into the hollow onto a Little Woodswallow nest (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Buchanan Highway, NT, November 2018]

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size: 21 x 14 mm Colour: Light-grey, with grey to brownish speckles Shape: Tapered oval

Behaviour

Like other species of woodswallows, Little Woodswallows are in the habit of jiggling their backside, possibly to attract company.

Little Woodswallow jiggle to the right... (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Bird Billabong Road, near Arnhem Highway, NT, July 2018]

Little Woodswallow jiggle to the left... "I wonder whether Andrea Petkovic has patented that move?" (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Bird Billabong Road, near Arnhem Highway, NT, July 2018]

Here company is arriving (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Bird Billabong Road, near Arnhem Highway, NT, July 2018]

Little Woodswallows - a pair? (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Bird Billabong Road, near Arnhem Highway, NT, July 2018]

Food, Diet

Adults: Small insects Dependents: As adults Water intake: Daily(?)

Like all members of the Artamus family known to us, Little Woodswallows hunt small insects which they devour in-flight.

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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