The little woodswallow (Artamus minor), is a bird patchily distributed over much of mainland Australia, avoiding only the driest deserts and the area within about 300 kilometres of the southern coastline, and showing a preference for rugged terrain around inland ranges.
As its name suggests, at 12 to 14 cm in length it is the smallest of the woodswallows. It is dark, smoky brown overall, with deep gunmetal grey wings and a black-tipped, blue-tinged bill.
Like other woodswallows, groups cluster huddled close together on high, dead branches to rest or sleep. Typical group sizes are modest but it is not uncommon to have hundreds gather together at a roost site.
Little woodswallows soar effortlessly above the treetops or along cliff faces when hunting flying insects—being small, they are easily confused with martins.
The nest is a rudimentary affair, placed in a tree hollow or similar space, and made of twigs and other vegetable matter. Breeding takes place from August to January, or after rain. Three eggs are laid and the young leave the nest when barely able to fly, taking up a perch on a nearby tree and calling incessantly for the food the parents bring them.
Translated Descriptions (7)
es
wikipedia
El artamo chico (Artamus minor) es una especie de ave paseriforme en la familia Artamidae.
fi
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Tervaleiju (Artamus minor) on leijujen heimoon kuuluva varpuslintu.
fr
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Le Petit Langrayen (Artamus minor) est une espèce de petit passereau de la famille des Artamidae.
it
wikipedia
L'artamo pigmeo o artamo minore, anche noto come rondine boschereccia pigmea o rondine boschereccia minore (Artamus minor Vieillot, 1817), è un uccello passeriforme della famiglia Artamidae.
nl
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De roetspitsvogel (Artamus minor) is een zangvogel uit de familie Artamidae die alleen als endeem in Australië voorkomt.
ru
wikipedia
Малый артам (лат. Artamus minor) — вид птиц из семейства ласточковых сорокопутов. Выделяют два подвида. Эндемик Австралии.
sv
wikipedia
Mindre svalstare (Artamus minor) är en fågel i familjen svalstarar inom ordningen tättingar.