| Woodswallows | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Dusky woodswallow (Artamus cyanopterus) | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Artamidae |
| Subfamily: | Artaminae C. G. Sibley & J. A. Ahlquist, 1990 |
| Genus: | Artamus Vieillot, 1816 |
| Type species | |
| "Langraien"Buffon=Lanius leucorhynchusLinnaeus, 1771 | |
| Species | |
11, see text | |
Woodswallows are soft-plumaged, sombre-colouredpasserine birds in the genusArtamus. The woodswallows are either treated as a subfamily,Artaminae, in an expanded familyArtamidae (also including the subfamilyCracticinae), or as the only genus in that family (with the butcherbirds, currawongs, and allies placed in a separate family, Cracticidae). The generic name, which in turn gives rise to the family name, is derived from theAncient Greekartamos, meaning butcher or murder. The name was given due to their perceived similarity toshrikes. A former common name for the group was "swallow-starlings".[1]
The genusArtamus was introduced in 1816 by the French ornithologistLouis Vieillot to accommodate a single species, the "Langraien", that had been described in 1770 by the French naturalist, theComte de Buffon.[2][3] The "Langraien" is thewhite-breasted woodswallow that had been assigned thebinomial nameLanius leucorhynchus by the Swedish naturalistCarl Linnaeus in 1771. It is thetype species of the genus.[4][5] The genus name is fromAncient Greek αρταμος/artamos meaning "butcher" or "murderer".[6]
The woodswallows have anAustralasian distribution, with most species occurring inAustralia andNew Guinea. Theashy woodswallow has an exclusively Asian distribution, ranging fromIndia andSri Lanka through South East Asia toChina, and the most widespread species is thewhite-breasted woodswallow, which ranges from PeninsularMalaysia through toAustralia in the south andVanuatu andNew Caledonia. The group reaches the easternmost extent of its distribution inFiji with theendemicFiji woodswallow.[1]
Woodswallows are smooth, agile flyers with moderately large, semi-triangular wings. They are among the very fewpasserines birds that soar, and can often be seen feeding just above the treetops. One sedentary species aside, they are nomads, following the best conditions for flying insects, and often roosting in large flocks.
Although woodswallows have a brush-tipped tongue they seldom use it for gathering nectar.
The nests of woodswallows are loosely constructed from fine twigs, and both parents help rear the young.[7]
The genus contains 11 species:[8]
| Image | Common name | Scientific name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
_at_Jayanti%2c_Duars%2c_West_Bengal_W_IMG_5285.jpg) | Ashy woodswallow | Artamus fuscus | India to southeast China and Indochina |
 | White-breasted woodswallow | Artamus leucorynchus | Andaman Islands,Indonesian Archipelago, Philippines,New Guinea region, north, east Australia,Vanuatu,New Caledonia andPalau (westCaroline Islands, westMicronesia) |
 | Fiji woodswallow | Artamus mentalis | Viti Levu,Vanua Levu,Taveuni and satellites (Fiji, southwestPolynesia) |
 | Ivory-backed woodswallow | Artamus monachus | Sulawesi,Lembeh (east of northeastSulawesi),Togian Islands (between northeast and central eastSulawesi), Butung (south of southeastSulawesi),Banggai Islands andSula Islands is. (east ofSulawesi) |
 | Great woodswallow | Artamus maximus | montaneNew Guinea |
 | White-backed woodswallow | Artamus insignis | New Ireland andNew Britain (eastBismarck Archipelago) |
 | Masked woodswallow | Artamus personatus | Australia (except northCape York Peninsula andTasmania) |
 | White-browed woodswallow | Artamus superciliosus | widely distributed in Australia |
 | Black-faced woodswallow | Artamus cinereus | eastLesser Sunda Islands, Australia and central southNew Guinea |
 | Dusky woodswallow | Artamus cyanopterus | south, east Australia andTasmania |
 | Little woodswallow | Artamus minor | Australia (except south,Tasmania) |
