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Medium-sized ambush-hunter with a long gray bill with a dark, hooked tip.
Not listed
Endemic to Australia
At a glance
FamilyWoodswallows, Bellmagpies, and Allies
SizeLarge
RarityUncommon
HabitatOpen woodland, paddocks, suburban lawns, forest edge, and scattered tall trees.
Best timeMost reliable in Northern Territory from July to October.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by James Lambert
Range map
Range map
418visible hotspots
4670visible records
3states
SparseModerateDense hotspot
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Black head and face with a white nape and chin. Upperparts very pale gray, with white rump, outer part of wings black, inner part of wings white, and black tail with white tip. Rollicking, chuckling song.
Behavior
This species is snappy and fearless, diving at humans and dogs near the nest. It feeds on small lizards such as skinks and mice along with small birds that it snares and plucks out of the sky.
Gallery