Ivory-backed Woodswallow Artamus monachus Scientific name definitions

19–20 cm. Most of plumage is white , with brownish-grey head and throat  , black lores  and chin, blackish-grey wing and tail; iris dark brown; bill pale blue-grey, tip black; legs blue-grey. Sexes similar. Juvenile undescribed.

Sulawesi, Lembeh, Togian Is (2 Indrawan, M., S. Somadikarta, J. Supriatna, M. D. Bruce, Sunarto and G. Djanubudiman (2006). The birds of the Togian Islands, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Forktail 22:7–22. Close ), Banggai Is, Butung I (3 Martin, T.E., Kelly, D.J., Keogh, N.T., Heriyadi, D., Singer, H.A. and Blackburn, G.A. (2012). The avifauna of Lambusango Forest Reserve, Buton Island, south-east Sulawesi, with additional sightings from southern Buton. Forktail 28: 107–112. Close ) and Sula Archipelago.

Forest, forest edges and openings, at 200–2000 m. Favours more heavily wooded areas than those occupied on Sulawesi by sympatric A. leucoryn.

No information.

Insects. Soars and hawks above canopy of unbroken forest; perches at edge of small forest clearings, making short sallies. In pairs, in small groups and in flocks of up to 20 individuals.

A series  of monosyllabic notes  , more metallic and penetrating than those of A. leucoryn; also "tschirr-woouit", given twice.

One active nest in late Jul; situated c. 15 m up tree, at base of large epiphyte; a second nest recorded also in late Jul. No other information.

Not globally threatened. Widely but patchily distributed in Sulawesi; generally uncommon but locally common at lower elevations. Less numerous than sympatric A. leucoryn. Occurs in several protected areas, including Dumoga-Bone National Park.