Photo: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Dusky Woodswallow
Artamus cyanopterus
Dusky Woodswallow (Artamus cyanopterus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 9 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Dusky Woodswallow (Artamus cyanopterus) is a member of the Artamidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 34.6 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Artamidae Woodswallows, Butcherbirds & Allies
- Genus Artamus
- Species cyanopterus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 34.6 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Artamidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Dusky Woodswallow is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Dusky Woodswallow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Dusky Woodswallow (Artamus cyanopterus) is a member of the Artamidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU s, e Australia and Tasmania.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 34.6 g, with a wing length of about 12.3 cm and a tail of around 6.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 3.9 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Dusky Woodswallow?
The Dusky Woodswallow is a small bird that weighs around 34.6 g.
Where does the Dusky Woodswallow live?
The Dusky Woodswallow is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU s, e Australia and Tasmania, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Dusky Woodswallow belong to?
The Dusky Woodswallow (Artamus cyanopterus) belongs to the Artamidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Dusky Woodswallow eat?
The Dusky Woodswallow is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Dusky Woodswallow migrate?
The Dusky Woodswallow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Dusky Woodswallow endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Dusky Woodswallow make?
1 real field recording of the Dusky Woodswallow — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Dusky Woodswallow's range?
The Dusky Woodswallow has a mapped global range of about 3.9 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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