Artamus cyanopterus

Dusky Woodswallow at Macarthur, ACT

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Identification history

	Artamus cyanopterus	18 Apr 2020	natureguy
	Artamus cyanopterus	15 Apr 2020	RodDeb

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6 comments

Illilanga wrote:

17 Apr 2020

I can't really identify enough detail here from the silhouette to confirm Dusky Woodswallow. There have also been flocks around this size of White-Browed Woodswallows passing through our area at the moment. The numbers you have listed indicate that it might be them. Have you got any clearer photos or can you confirm you are certain they were Dusky? Maybe Luke can help as he confirmed the ID for sighting #4255874. Thanks, Sandra

natureguy wrote:

17 Apr 2020

The underside of the tail is grey in White-browed Woodswallow with a solid white bar at the end (see https://canberra.naturemapr.org/Sightings/4240218). Dusky Wooswallow has a dark underside of the tail with white corners, which is visible in the last image of sighting 4255874. I can't really see this in this sighting, however the face in picture 1 seems to look more like Dusky. Still tentative.

RodDeb, if you noticed what the undertail looked like, can you please provide a comment. Another useful diagnostic feature is that Dusky's have white along the trailing edge of the wing, which distinguishes them from all other Australian Woodswallows.

RodDeb wrote:

18 Apr 2020

They were Dusky's they showed white corners on the tail and the 2nd photo shows white on the trailing edge of the wing.

natureguy wrote:

18 Apr 2020

Thanks for the extra information RodDeb, I have now confirmed.

RodDeb wrote:

18 Apr 2020

Thanks Luke

Illilanga wrote:

18 Apr 2020

Thanks all. :)