Photo: markaharper1 / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Great Woodswallow
Artamus maximus
Great Woodswallow (Artamus maximus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Australia & Oceania.
Found on 1 guide in our atlas — open it for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Great Woodswallow (Artamus maximus) is a member of the Artamidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 58.2 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 maximus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 58.2 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Artamidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Great Woodswallow is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Great Woodswallow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Great Woodswallow (Artamus maximus) belongs to the Artamidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU montane New Guinea.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 58.2 g, with a wing length of about 15.9 cm and a tail of around 6.6 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 249,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Great Woodswallow?
The Great Woodswallow is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 58.2 g.
Where does the Great Woodswallow live?
The Great Woodswallow is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU montane New Guinea, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Great Woodswallow belong to?
The Great Woodswallow (Artamus maximus) belongs to the Artamidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Great Woodswallow eat?
The Great Woodswallow is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Great Woodswallow migrate?
The Great Woodswallow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Great 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 Great Woodswallow make?
1 real field recording of the Great 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 Great Woodswallow's range?
The Great Woodswallow has a mapped global range of about 249,000 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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