22 |
|
White-breasted WoodswallowAlternate name(s): "White-rumped Woodswallow" Size: 16-18 cm Weight: 35-45 g |
 |
Similar |
|
Description
Classification
Distribution
Sightings
Photos
Breeding
Nest
Eggs
Behaviour
Food
Call/s
|
|
 Click here for a physical description
|
|
||||||
|
Click here for information on habitat
and range
|
Click here for sighting information
|
|
|
Photos |
Race "leucopygialis"
 |
ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Close-up frontal view of a White-breasted Woodswallow looking sideways
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Windorah, QLD, September 2022]
Close-up frontal/ventral view of White-breasted Woodswallows
[Pilliga lagoon, near Pilliga, NSW, April 2021]
Close-up frontal/ventral view of White-breasted Woodswallows
[Pilliga lagoon, near Pilliga, NSW, April 2021]
Frontal/ventral view of White-breasted Woodswallows
in a huddle
(photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Port Douglas, QLD, May 2022]
Close-up near-frontal view of a White-breasted Woodswallow
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, May 2017]
Close-up near-frontal/ventral view of a White-breasted Woodswallow
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, September 2011]
Near-frontal/ventral view of a White-breasted Woodswallow
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Near Lyndhurst, SA, October 2016]
Near-lateral view of a White-breasted Woodswallow
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Brunswick Heads, NSW, Jnauary 2019]
Near-lateral view of a White-breasted Woodswallow stretching a wing
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, May 2017]
Lateral view of a White-breasted Woodswallow
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Brunswick Heads, NSW, Jnauary 2019]
Lateral view of a White-breasted Woodswallow
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Wynnum, QLD, December 2017]
Lateral view of a White-breasted Woodswallow
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near St. George, QLD, September 2017]
Near-dorsal view of a White-breasted Woodswallow
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Town of 1770, QLD, September 2017]
Dorsal view of a White-breasted Woodswallow
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, September 2010]
Dorsal view of a White-breasted Woodswallow
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Road Wetlands, Lytton, QLD, August 2017]
Frontal/ventral view of a White-breasted Woodswallow in flight
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, August 2010]
Lateral view of a White-breasted Woodswallow in flight
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, July 2014]
Lateral view of a White-breasted Woodswallow in a steep bank
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, July 2014]
Lateral/ventral view of a White-breasted Woodswallow in flight
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, August 2010]
Ventral view of a White-breasted Woodswallow in flight
[Yarrie Lake, NSW, December 2013]
This White-breasted Woodswallow was observed carrying something
rather big
[Pilliga, NSW, May 2019]
 |
IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Frontal/ventral view of two immature White-breasted Woodswallows
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, October 2010]
Near-lateral/ventral view of immature White-breasted Woodswallows
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, October 2010]
Immature White-breasted Woodswallows spreading their wings
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, October 2010]
Frontal view of an adult White-breasted Woodswallow, right,
with a dorsal view of an immature bird on the left - note the
rufous edges of the juvenile coverts and tertial flight feathers
(photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Port Douglas, QLD, May 2022]
Frontal view of a juvenile White-breasted Woodswallow
[Pilliga, NSW, December 2020]
Frontal view of juvenile White-breasted Woodswallows
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Wynnum, QLD, December 2017]
Near-lateral view of a juvenile White-breasted Woodswallow;
note the scalloping on the wing
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Wynnum, QLD, December 2017]
Dorsal view of a juvenile White-breasted Woodswallow
[Pilliga, NSW, December 2020]
Ventral view of a White-breasted Woodswallow with three fledglings
(photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
White-breasted Woodswallow with a begging fledgling
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Near Lyndhurst, SA, October 2016]
|
|
Breeding information |
| Breeding season: Aug - Jan | Eggs: 3 - 4 | Incubation period: ? | Fledging age: ? |
Given the right conditions (e.g. absence of frost), White-breasted Woodswallows can breed any time of the year.
|
|
Nest |
"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal] |
| Type: Basket | Material: Twigs, rootlets, dry grass | Height above ground: 4 - 30 m |
White-breasted Woodswallows are known to sometimes put their own little stick nest inside a recycled mud nest.
"Conventional" White-breasted Woodswallow nest in a natural setting,
in a fork of a small or broken branch off the main trunk of a tree
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, December 2011]
White-breasted Woodswallow nest (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Road Wetlands, Lytton, QLD, November 2018]
White-breasted Woodswallow on its nest (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Kingaroy, QLD, October 2015]
White-breasted Woodswallow nest in a hollow dead branch
[Pillia, NSW, December 2020]
White-breasted Woodswallow owners of the nest above,
one of which is carrying nesting material
[Pillia, NSW, December 2020]
White-breasted Woodswallow returning to its nest with food;
the bird nested weeks later, so this meal must have been for itself
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, November 2011]
Next the White-breasted Woodswallow sat down gingerly on its nest again...
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, November 2011]
... while making sure that that human observer was no threat
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, November 2011]
Here the same White-breasted Woodswallow seen nesting a month later
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, December 2011]
A few weeks later, this White-breasted Woodswallow chick was seen
leaving the nest, first cautious...
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, January 2012]
...then a bit more curious; the White-breasted Woodswallow chick is still
only about 20 cm from its nest at this point
(photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, January 2012]
The White-breasted Woodswallow nests shown
above were built as is "typical" of the species; but they are also
opportunistic - in this case "recycling" a
Magpie-lark nest
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, October 2013]
The same White-breasted Woodswallow as shown above, now sitting on the
recycled Magpie-lark nest
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, October 2013]
The next breeding season, a pair of White-breasted Woodswallows
in the same area were using a recycled Australian Magpie nest, a
massive stick nest which is very different from a mud nest;
two near-fledging age chicks can be seen in the nest
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, January 2015]
White-breasted Woodswallow near its "avant garde" nest
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Nightcliff, Darwin, NT, November 2020]
White-breasted Woodswallow at its "avant garde" nest
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Nightcliff, Darwin, NT, November 2020]
 |
Additional information |
It is known that White-breasted Woodswallows will re-use nests of other species, in particular old mud nest built by Magpie-larks. This behaviour has also been reported to us by A. Morris. We have compiled some more information on the (re-)use of mud nests.
|
|
Eggs |
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay] |
| Size: 23 x 17 mm | Colour: Light-brown, with tiny mid-brown speckles | Shape: Tapered oval |
|
|
Behaviour |
| Social behaviour: Communal | Mobility: Sedentary | Elementary unit: Flock |
As shown above, White-breasted Woodswallows have been found by us to re-use Magpie-lark mud nests. This behaviour was also observed by A. Morris.
As also shown below, White-breasted Woodswallows are very sociable. They are well-known for their habit of huddling up tightly.
The greatest White-breasted Woodswallow huddle ever?
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, July 2019]
White-breasted Woodswallows huddling
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Buffalo Creek, Darwin, NT, July 2020]
Mob of White-breasted Woodswallows in a huddle
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Sandy Creek, Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, July 2019]
Family of White-breasted Woodswallows huddled together on a dead branch
(photo courtesyof V. Jericho)
[Carawine Gorge, WA, July 2013]
White-breasted Woodswallows huddling even while preening
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, October 2013]
White-breasted Woodswallows sharing some TLC; this type of
behaviour is part of a bonding ritual(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near St. George, QLD, September 2017]
White-breasted Woodswallows are very combative birds that will try to keep raptors out of their territory and away from their nest. We have seen them attack raptors preying on birds, such as e.g. Australian Hobbies.
When a White-breasted Woodswallow fans its tail as indicated here
it is usually upset
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, November 2012]
White-breasted Woodswallows will not shy away from hustling raptors
as large and powerful as a
Brown Falcon or even bigger (see below)
[April 2012]
White-breasted Woodswallow harassing a Whistling Kite
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, July 2018]
White-breasted Woodswallow harassing a
Grey Goshawk
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, August 2017]
Wedge-tailed Eagle in flight (click on image to see what it had to
put up with) - the little speck is a White-breasted Woodswallow; note that these
photos were taken with 15x magnification (f=500 mm)!)
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, January 2008]
|
|
Food, Diet |
| Adults: Small insects | Dependents: As adults | Water intake: Daily(?) |
Like all members of the Artamus family known to us, hunt small insects which they usually devour in-flight.
White-breasted Woodswallow with its prey, a bee
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Road Wetlands, Lytton, QLD, August 2017]
Family of White-breasted Woodswallows; on the right an adult
feeding a dependent juvenile a fly
(photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Camooweal Caves, QLD, September 2019]
White-breasted Woodswallows, one of which has caught an insect
(photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
These White-breasted Woodswallows were either after nectar or
after insects in the flowers of this Woolibutt tree
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Bird billabong, near Arnhem Highway, NT, July 2018]
|
|
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.
| wbrstsw_20180120.m4a |
leucopygialis (NW NSW) |
Contact calls + begging calls (juvenile) | © MD | |
| wbrstsw_20200114.m4a |
leucopygialis (NW NSW) |
Various | © MD | |
| wbrstsw_20180120_2.m4a |
leucopygialis (NW NSW) |
Begging calls (juvenile) | © MD | |
| wbrstsw_20180120_3.m4a |
leucopygialis (NW NSW) |
Begging calls (juvenile) | © MD | |
| wbrstsw_20180105.m4a |
leucopygialis (NW NSW) |
Begging calls (fledgling) | © MD | |
| wbrstsw_20180105_2.m4a |
leucopygialis (NW NSW) |
Begging calls & being fed (fledgling) | © MD |
More White-breasted Woodswallow sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.