I was puzzled when I heard a series of different bird calls coming from one location. I looked up, expecting to see a butcherbird, as they’re good mimics. Instead I saw what looked like a Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, also called a shufflewing. I decided the mimicked noises must be coming from a hidden bird, and I took a photo of what I thought was a cuckoo-shrike anyway.

Later, when I examined the photo and compared it to my bird book, I discovered that the bird doesn’t look quite like a cuckoo-shrike. The black mask is very well defined, whereas that of a cuckoo-shrike has fuzzier edges.

Looking further into birds of a similar appearance, I found that Masked Woodswallows do have some powers of mimicry. So, all in all, I think this is a woodswallow, and it’s the first one that I’ve spotted around Sydney:

Common name: Masked Woodswallow

Scientific name: Artamus personatus

Approximate length: 20 cm

Date spotted: 8 June 2020 (winter)

Location: Manly Dam National Park, New South Wales, Australia: 33°46’52.9″S 151°15’08.1″E