White-breasted Woodswallow

1. Blue-grey head and upperparts with sharply contrasting white underparts

2. Entirely black tail (no white tip), pale blue-grey bill with black tip

3. Social, often seen huddled in groups on wires or branches

White-breasted Woodswallows are agile aerial hunters, catching insects in flight and sometimes foraging on the ground or in the canopy. They are highly social, roosting communally in large, tight groups to conserve warmth. Breeding occurs from August to January in southern Australia and from March to May in northern regions, often after rain. Both sexes build the nest, incubate the eggs, and feed the young. Nests are shallow bowls made from grass, twigs, and roots, placed in tree forks or sometimes recycled from other species’ nests. The typical clutch is 2–5 eggs, cream or pinkish with brown speckles, incubated by both parents for about 15 days. Cooperative breeding is common, with several adults helping to raise the young.

White-breasted Woodswallows inhabit open forests, woodlands, semi-arid plains, mangroves, and areas near watercourses. They are widespread from northern Western Australia across the Top End, through Queensland and New South Wales (except the far south coast), and into parts of Victoria and South Australia. They are also found from New Guinea to Fiji and the Philippines. These birds are often seen near farms, waterholes, and towns, frequently perching on power lines or fence posts.