Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Black-faced Woodswallow (Artamus cinereus)
Black-faced Woodswallow

Black-faced Woodswallow

Artamus cinereus

The Black-faced Woodswallow, Artamus cinereus, presents a striking figure with its distinctive black facial mask extending from the base of its bill to encompass the eyes. This bird, measuring 18–19 cm in length and weighing between 32–40 grams, is cloaked in ash grey plumage, with a lighter breast, darker wings, and silver underwings. Its tail is a stark black with a white tip, and it sports a blue-grey beak tipped in black.

Identification Tips

To identify the Black-faced Woodswallow, look for the characteristic black facial mask and the contrast between the ash grey body and the darker wings. The tail's white tip is a key feature, as is the blue-grey beak with a black tip. Juveniles can be distinguished by their brown body and wing coloration with buff streaks and a pale yellow beak.

Habitat

The Black-faced Woodswallow is a denizen of open eucalypt woodlands, scrub, and spinifex in arid and semi-arid regions. In tropical savannahs, it favors open woodlands and grasslands.

Distribution

This species is widespread across Australia, New Guinea, and the Sunda Islands, including Timor. It is the most prevalent species within the Artamidae family.

Behaviour

The Black-faced Woodswallow is known for its aerial agility, soaring, hovering, and diving to catch insect prey. It is also a communal breeder, with multiple birds often feeding the young, and exhibits a tendency to flock and cluster roost for thermoregulation and protection.

Song & Calls

The soft vocal repertoire of the Black-faced Woodswallow includes chiff, chap, and chattering calls, which may incorporate elements of vocal mimicry.

Breeding

Breeding typically follows periods of rain when insects are abundant. The woodswallow engages in courtship displays involving tail rotation and wing waving. Nests are constructed in tree hollows or crevices, and eggs are white to dull white with red-brown and lavender speckling.

Similar Species

While there are no similar species mentioned, the subspecies can be differentiated by the coloration of their tail vents, with some having white and others black.

Diet and Feeding

The Black-faced Woodswallow is primarily insectivorous, catching moths and other insects in flight or on the ground. It also has a brush-like tongue for gleaning nectar and may occasionally feed on flowers.

Conservation Status

The Black-faced Woodswallow is currently listed as Least Concern, though there have been regional declines, particularly on the Cape York Peninsula, attributed to changes in vegetation due to fire regimes. However, recent changes in fire management have halted the decline.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Black-faced Woodswallows on Birda

Photos
Sightings

More Woodswallows, Butcherbirds & Allies

A photo of a Dusky Woodswallow (Artamus cyanopterus)

Dusky Woodswallow

Artamus cyanopterus
Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Carl B
Helped me to identify more birds
Love this app and has helped me to identify more birds. The challenges and badges are great for keeping the motivation going to get out and keep birding.
Jane N
A great app
Enjoying it immensely and finding it useful too. Recording the different birds and counting them is showing me how the present climate is affecting them all. I've trebled the numbers by planting native hedging. A great app.
Jake W
Great app
I use this app all the time as it’s quick and easy to log individual sightings or whole birding sessions. It’s an excellent way to meet new people and the forum is full of really friendly people. The challenges are a great way to get involved and learn more about birds. Cannot recommend it enough!
Louise L
Easy to use and accurate
Love this app. It is easy to use and accurate, Their backup communication is really good. I noted a missing species. All through the process, I was kept informed about the progress in correcting the information. I now have the corrected, updated version. 😁 Thanks!
Erna M
I really like Birda
I really like Birda. I also use other birding apps and have Birda with E-bird going at the same time.
Alex J
Friendly and helps to identify birds
Great birding app, good for logging your sightings, also has nice species guide. I'm enjoying the social aspect more than I expected, everyone seems friendly and helps to identify unknown birds. Good mix of newbies and experienced users.
David C
Very knowledgeable group
Nice friendly birding community. Very knowledgeable group with a willingness to help.
Stewart W
Fantastic to be involved
Fantastic to be involved, great for mental health and gets you responding with the Challenges that are to takd part in.
Pdydhdrexgi
Fantastic App
This is a really lovely app, for everyone interested in birds - from newbies to old hands. There is a very friendly feel to the community and you will genuinely learn a lot as you record your sightings and photos. There are lots of badges and competitions to keep you engaged, and a host of really useful features.
Emcil24
A Friendly Place
I love using the bird app, I have a pretty good knowledge of birds. But I do have some gaps in it, so it’s nice to have a safe space to check on a sighting to confirm the species. It’s really enjoyable and I love the badges you can collect. It’s like a real life Pokémon go.
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.