Bird Guide

Ashy Woodswallow vs White-breasted Woodswallow

Ashy Woodswallow (Artamus fuscus)

Ashy Woodswallow

Artamus fuscus

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This stocky woodswallow has an ashy grey upperparts with a darker head and a narrow pale band on the rump. The underside is pinkish grey and the short slaty black tail is tipped in white. The finch-like bill is silvery. In flight the long wing looks very broad at the base giving it a very triangular outline. The first primary is very short. The legs are short and the birds usually perch on high vantage points from which they make aerial sallies. There are no geographic variations in plumage and no subspecies have been designated.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Ashy Woodswallow
Recorded by Vihansith Kulatunga · Flight call · Andamkulam (near Trincomalee), Trincomalee, Eastern Province, Sri Lanka · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: sunnyjosef · CC BY 4.0
White-breasted Woodswallow (Artamus leucorynchus)

White-breasted Woodswallow

Artamus leucorynchus

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The white-breasted woodswallow's plumage is dark grey on the head and neck, with white underparts, giving the species its common and scientific names, in contrast to the related great woodswallow whose upper side is a more glossy black. The stout bill is bluish-grey with a black tip. They can also be identified by their short, black tail and grey feet. Their completely black tail makes them the only woodswallow lacking white on the tail. Males and females are identical in appearance. Juveniles have a more brownish plumage around their head and mantle that is usually heavily striated.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) · CC BY 3.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Ashy Woodswallow and White-breasted Woodswallow.