Masked woodswallow

Masked woodswallow
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Artamidae
Genus:	Artamus
Species:	A. personatus
Binomial name
Artamus personatus Gould, 1841

The masked woodswallow (Artamus personatus) is a species of bird in the Artamidae family. It is found in Australia and New Zealand. Range: Common nomad, most common in the west of Australia, mainly in drier areas, vagrant Tasmania. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests. Can be found in large flocks also containing the similar white-browed woodswallow. Highly nomadic pale grey with black or dusky face. Male: Black face, underparts delicate grey. Female: Dusky grey face, underparts brownish-grey. Immature: Wing feathers spotted & edged white. Juvenile: Head & body streaked dark & light grey, wing feather spotted & edged white. Voice: Nasal sounding 'Chirp' or 'Check'. Nesting: Cups of new green grass, drying out to become not so green (obviously), in hollow stumps or broken branch tops. Eggs: Speckled greyish, greenish or greyish. 2-3 per lay.

Carpet Springs, SW Queensland, Australia

References

1. BirdLife International (2012). "Artamus personatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 26 November 2013.