Ashy Wood-Swallow (Artamus fuscus)
Order: PASSERIFORMES
Family: CORVIDAE Crows, Jays, Magpies
Scientific name: Artamus fuscus
English name: Ashy Wood-Swallow
Characteristic: Size 18 cm. A stocky short-necked bird with pointed thick-based bill; head to upperpart dark grey to almost black; lower breast to belly brownish grey; bill bluish grey with black tip.
Distribution: India, Myanmar, Thailand and Indo-China (found throughout Thailand except in the south)
Habitat: open grounds with scattered tall trees, forest edges, crop fields and paddy fields. In Sakaerat ares, this bird is found in grass fields in the forest plantations.
Habit: Frequently seen perching in loose groups on exposed dry branches or in long row on roadside electric wires. It is quite a sociable bird, as evidenced by roosting of 15-20 birds in close proximity of one another and occasionally preening each other. It has a remarkable flight capability to soar for a long time and swerve in mid-air after flying insects as does a swallow. Furthermore, adaprt from insects, it also feeds on nectar. Breeding time starts in April until June; it nests mainly on tops of tree stumps or poles, in which it will lay a clutch of 2-4 white, red-speckled eggs. The incubation period is 12-16 days.
Status: A resident bird that is common locally, i.e. the grass fields in forest plantations at the southwestern spot of the Sakaerat forest. Now,it is a protected wild animal legally.
