Common. Migratory in the south-east, sedentary in the south-west.
Habitat
Mainly dry, open sclerophyll forests and woodlands, usually dominated by eucalypts, including smaller mallee associations, usually with open or sparse understorey of eucalypt saplings, acacia and other shrubs and a ground-cover of grasses or sedges. Often found at the edges or in clearings of forests and woodlands. Also shrublands and heathland.
Eastern Australia from near Cairns, Qld south to Tasmania and west to Kangaroo Island and Eyre Peninsula, SA. Also the extreme south-western Australia.
 
Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2020) and decreasing.
Nest
Open, cup-shaped, composed of thin dry twigs and lined with grasses, placed in the fork of a tree, on a projecting piece of bark on a tree trunk, or on top of a stump, about 1 - 15 meters above the ground.
Eggs (Guide)
3 or 4; cream with purple-brown spots and blotches, paricularly at the larger end; oval; about 23 x 17 mm. Incubation: about 16 days; by both sexes.
Young
Altricial, nidicolous. Fledge in about 16 - 20 days. Fed by both parents.
Subspecies
Subspecies intergrade in southern South Australia (Eyre Peninsula region).
The following 2 subspecies are recognised:
cyanopterus (Latham, 1801) - Eastern, central-southern and south-eastern Australia, including Kangaroo I (South Australia), islands in Bass Strait (King I, Flinders I) and Tasmania.
perthi (Mathews, 1915) - South-western Australia east to southern South Australia (Eyre Peninsula).
Similar Species
Black-faced Woodswallow (Artamus cinereus) which is lighter and greyer, and slightly larger and lacks a prominent white leading edge to the upper wing, and Little Woodswallow (Artamus minor) which is darker and smaller and lacks a prominent white leading edge to the upper wing.
References
See References.
The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Pizzey, G., and Knight, E., 1997, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 19691 5
Field Guide to Australian Birds Morecombe, M., 2000, Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd. ISBN 1 876282 10 X
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Simpson, K., and Day, N., 1999, 6th Edition, Viking ISBN 0 670 87918 5
Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds 1988, 2nd Edition, Reader's Digest ISBN 0 949819 99 9
What Bird is That? 1984, Revised Edition, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 14846 5
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds 1990 - , Oxford University Press, Melbourne ISBN 0 19 553244 9
More... see more information (images, calls, videos etc)