Overview
White-breasted Woodswallow (Palau): Small woodswallow, brown-gray hood and upperparts. Black-gray lores, wings, and tail. Breast, belly, and vent are white. Medium, rather heavy, blue-gray bill with black tip. Long, pointed wings. Short, slightly cleft tail. Sexes similar, juvenile has some mottling above, brown-white on breast and eyebrow.
Range and Habitat
Woodswallows, Butcherbirds, and Allies (Artamidae)
ORDER
Most of the small birds such as the fantails, monarch-flycatchers, starlings, and woodswallows are members of the one hundred and eighteen families found in the largest taxonomic order of birds; the PASSERIFORMES (pronounced pas-ser-i-FOR-meez).
FAMILY TAXONOMY
The woodswallows, butcherbirds, and related species are placed in the artamidae (pronounced ar-TAM-i-dee), a group of twenty-four species in four genera found in southern Asia, Australasia, and some islands in the Pacific Ocean.
SOUTH PACIFIC-PALAU
Two species of woodswallows in one genus are found in the South Pacific. One species, the White-breasted Woodswallow occurs in Palau.
KNOWN FOR
Members of this family are known for their agile flight, somber plumage, and impaling captured prey on thorns and other sharp objects.
PHYSICAL
Members of the artamidae are small to medium birds with stout, medium beaks (in the case of (woodswallows), and large, strong beaks (butcherbirds and currawongs). They have long wings, medium tails, and short to medium legs.
COLORATION
Members of this family are plumaged in gray, black, and white. One species, the White-browed Woodswallow, also has red-brown underparts.
GEOGRAPHIC HABITAT
Members of this family live in a variety of open and forested habitats.
MIGRATION
Although several woodswallow species make short movements to feed on swarms of flying insects, none of the artamidae are migratory.
HABITS
Members of the artamidae are very social and most species are typically seen in flocks. Woodswallows forage for insects by sallying out from a perch and catching prey in soaring flight, whereas butcherbirds and currawongs catch insects and other small creatures on the ground and from foliage.
CONSERVATION
None of the members of this family are threatened and all species seem to be fairly common in their respective ranges.
INTERESTING FACTS
The woodswallows are one of the few passerines that are capable of soaring for long periods. The members of this family are also one of the only passerines that have powder down feathers. Woodswallows perch very close to each other when flocking. The songs of butcherbirds rank among the most complex of any passerine.