Passeriformes / Artamidae / Artamus

Ashy Woodswallow

Artamus fuscus · 灰燕鵙

IUCN: Least Concern Found in China

Introduction

A woodswallow found in South Asia. It has a short curved bill, short square tail, and long wings. Distinctive traits include perching in groups on high vantage points like powerlines and tall palm trees, and possessing powder down feathers.

Description

Stocky with ashy grey upperparts, a darker head, and a narrow pale band on the rump. The underside is pinkish grey. The short slaty black tail is tipped in white. The finch-like bill is silvery. In flight, long wings appear broad at the base, creating a triangular outline; the first primary is very short. Legs are short. Young birds have barred undersides. Males and females are indistinguishable in the field, though an old report suggests differences in mouth color. No geographic plumage variations or designated subspecies.

Identification

Key marks include ashy grey upperparts, pinkish grey underside, and white-tipped black tail. Flight silhouette is triangular due to broad-based long wings. Vocalizations include a shrill nasal 'chewk' call and a song of varied wheezy notes, sometimes imitating other birds.

Distribution & Habitat

Found from plains to about 2000 m in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Malaysia, China, and the Maldives. Absent in very arid regions of western India. Habitats include cultivated areas, forest clearings, and areas with tall palm trees. Makes seasonal movements, possibly in response to rainfall.

Behavior & Ecology

Usually seen in small groups, often huddled side-by-side on bare branches, powerlines, or pylons, sometimes preening each other. Feeds by making aerial sallies from perches to capture insects in mid-air; prey may be held in feet, torn with the bill, and swallowed without returning to the perch. Also feeds on ground, visits bird baths, and takes nectar from Erythrina flowers. Recorded feeding on toxic Danaiidae butterflies like Euploea core. Breeding season in India is March to June. Nest is a shallow cup placed high, such as at the base of a palm frond or atop a street lighting post. Clutch consists of 2–3 greenish white eggs with brown spots. Both parents build the nest, incubate, and feed young. They mob larger birds like crows and raptors near nests. Possesses powder down feathers spread during preening and a brush-tipped tongue. Thoracic vertebrae are fused into a notarium.

Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0