Photo: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) / CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
White-breasted Woodswallow
Artamus leucorynchus
White-breasted Woodswallow (Artamus leucorynchus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The White-breasted Woodswallow (Artamus leucorynchus) is a member of the Artamidae family found in Australia & Oceania and South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 41.7 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 leucorynchus
Where it lives
Andaman Is., Indonesian Arch., Philippines, New Guinea region, northern, eastern Australia, Vanuatu, New Caledonia and Palau (western Caroline Is., western Micronesia)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 41.7 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Artamidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The White-breasted 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 White-breasted Woodswallow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The White-breasted Woodswallow (Artamus leucorynchus) belongs to the Artamidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania and South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers AU, OR Andaman Is., Indonesian Arch., Philippines, New Guinea region, n, e Australia, Vanuatu, New Caledonia and Palau (w Caroline Is., w Micronesia).
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 41.7 g, with a wing length of about 13.1 cm and a tail of around 5.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 7.7 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White-breasted Woodswallow?
The White-breasted Woodswallow is a small bird that weighs around 41.7 g.
Where does the White-breasted Woodswallow live?
The White-breasted Woodswallow is found across Australia & Oceania and South & Southeast Asia with a range covering AU, OR Andaman Is., Indonesian Arch., Philippines, New Guinea region, n, e Australia, Vanuatu, New Caledonia and Palau (w Caroline Is., w Micronesia), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the White-breasted Woodswallow belong to?
The White-breasted Woodswallow (Artamus leucorynchus) belongs to the Artamidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the White-breasted Woodswallow eat?
The White-breasted Woodswallow is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the White-breasted Woodswallow migrate?
The White-breasted Woodswallow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the White-breasted 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 White-breasted Woodswallow make?
1 real field recording of the White-breasted 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 White-breasted Woodswallow's range?
The White-breasted Woodswallow has a mapped global range of about 7.7 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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