Masked Woodswallow (Artamus personatus)

Other Names (World)
Masked Woodswallow, Northern Woodswallow, Blue Martin, Bush Martin, Skimmer, Bluebird, Blue Jay, Bluey, Cherry-bird, Summerbird

Family
Artamidae (Woodswallows And Butcherbirds)

Size
19 cm

First Described (Guide)
Gould, 1841

Derivation
Ar'-tam-us - Gk, artamos, butcher: per-sö-nä'-tus - L., masked

Habitat
Mainly dry, open woodlands or forests, often low and with dense or sparse understorey of shrubs or grassy ground-cover.

Range (Guide)

Australia (B), New Zealand (E) (B).

Interior of Australia, extending to coastal areas, except Cape York and the extreme south of Western Australia. A straggler to Tasmania.

Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).

Status LC
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Habits
Usually in large flocks.

Food
Invertebrates, mainly insects, and nectar. Occasionally fruit. Also observed taking sap.

Voice
A musical 'chap, chap'. Also sweet miner-like sounds.

(16Kb) © ? (2)

Xeno-Canto Sound Files (more (22)...)

Masked Woodswallow (Artamus personatus) [XC859668]
by Marc Anderson from Old Calder Highway, Hattah, Victoria, Australia (call)

Masked Woodswallow (Artamus personatus) [XC674001]
by Peter Boesman from Paroo Darling National Park, New South Wales, Australia (call)

Nest
Cup-shaped, composed of thin twigs and grasses, in a bush, on a stump or post, from 1 - 7 meters above the ground.

Eggs (Guide)
2 or 3; white with purple-brown and grey blotches; oval; about 22 x 17 mm. Incubation: about 12 days; by both sexes.

Young
Fledge in about 12 - 18 days. Fed by both parents.

Subspecies
No subspecies.

Most closely related to White-browed Woodswallow (Artamus superciliosus).

Similar Species
Female with female White-browed Woodswallow (Artamus superciliosus) which has a white eyebrow and paler throat and upper breast, Black-faced Woodswallow (Artamus cinereus) which has less black on the face and throat and has black tail feathers. In poor views with Black-faced Cuckooshrike (Coracina novaehollandiae) which is larger.

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

Files:

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