White-breasted Woodswallow

Artamus leucorynchus (Linnaeus, 1771)

42 gWeight

The white-breasted woodswallow (Artamus leucorynchus) is a medium-sized passerine bird which breeds from the Andaman Islands east through Indonesia and northern Australia.

Busiest months: September–October · Most records: Australia, Philippines, Malaysia

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: September–October · Most records: Australia, Philippines, Malaysia

White-breasted Woodswallow has been recorded at 362 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 10 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Sandy Camp Road WetlandsAustralia4,812 records
Cairns EsplanadeAustralia3,821 records
Bowra Wildlife SanctuaryAustralia2,339 records

More places

Townsville Town Common Conservation ParkAustralia2,316 records
Oxley Creek CommonAustralia1,486 records
Cairns Esplanade – Northern EndAustralia1,413 records
Tyto WetlandsAustralia1,301 records
Lake Samsonvale – Golds Scrub LaneAustralia1,071 records
Muirhead bushlandAustralia1,012 records
Cairns Esplanade – Southern EndAustralia998 records

Countries and regions with the most records

Australia Philippines Malaysia Indonesia Papua New Guinea India New Caledonia Vanuatu

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The white-breasted woodswallow (Artamus leucorynchus) is a medium-sized passerine bird which breeds from the Andaman Islands east through Indonesia and northern Australia. The name "woodswallow" is a misnomer as they are not closely related to true swallows. Instead, they belong to the family Artamidae, which also includes butcherbirds, currawongs and the Australian magpie.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the White-breasted Woodswallow?

The White-breasted Woodswallow weighs around 42 g.

Where does the White-breasted Woodswallow live?

Its breeding range: Australasia, Oriental: Andaman Islands, Indonesian Archipelago, Philippines, New Guinea region, northern, eastern Australia, Vanuatu, New Caledonia and Palau (western Caroline Islands, western Micronesia). It is most often recorded in Australia, Philippines and Malaysia.

When is the best time to see the White-breasted Woodswallow?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in September and October (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the White-breasted Woodswallow endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the White-breasted Woodswallow as Least Concern.

What does the White-breasted Woodswallow eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the White-breasted Woodswallow in?

It belongs to the family Woodswallows, Butcherbirds & Allies (Artamidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Weight: 42 g
Habitat: Woodland
Diet: Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle: Feeds in the air
Migration: Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation: Least Concern

More measurements

Wing: 131 mm
Tail: 59 mm
Bill: 22 mm
Tarsus: 18 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Australasia, Oriental: Andaman Islands, Indonesian Archipelago, Philippines, New Guinea region, northern, eastern Australia, Vanuatu, New Caledonia and Palau (western Caroline Islands, western Micronesia)

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2