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Black-faced Woodswallow

(Artamus cinereus)
Size: 18-20 cm

Habitat
(for details refer to a field guide)

Black-faced Woodswallows are found everywhere on the Australian continent, except the south-eastern coastal fringe, Tasmania and the tip of Cape York. Race "albiventris" is found in coastal central and northern QLD, race "melanops" everywhere else.

They prefer dry open country, which is why they are not found in the dense wooded parts of the continent.

Sightings

Black-faced Woodswallows were first spotted by us 20 km south-west of Narrabri, NSW, in September 2006. Although listed as nomadic, they were seen again in the same location in February 2008.

Also seen by us in many different places along the Darling River and into South Australia in March 2008.

Seen again in May 2011, about 10 km south of Pilliga, NSW. At the time there was a cold spell, with nighttime temperatures around 0 C.

Photos

Frontal view of a Black-faced Woodswallow

Lateral view of a Black-faced Woodswallow shaking its feathers

Back of a Black-faced Woodswallow

Family of Black-faced Woodswallows

Here a pair resting in a tree

Black-faced Woodswallows on a dead tree; note the underwing pattern of the bird on the right; this probably indicates that it is a hybrid

Black-faced Woodswallow in a "hairpin bend"

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal Mobility: 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.

Food

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.