We people like to make sometimes arbitrary definitions of phenomena. My
recollection of this issue was that this form of "clustering" only refers to
mass roosting (overnight) of these birds, in a way that they are basically
huddled on top of each other, as shown in the Black-faced Woodswallows
photo. I recall that roosting parallel along a branch in close contact, as
White-breasted Woodswallows so often do in the daytime, does not count in
that definition. Good that Steve shrinks his photos but I can't tell if the
last one (White-breasted w/s clustered p.m. along branch) was night or day,
but either way it looks like normal daytime perching, (hardly odd that they
might do the same at night), rather than this type of clustering. So I
suspect Graeme is still correct.
Philip
-----Original Message-----
From: William Stephinson
Sent: Monday, 23 June 2014 12:24 PM
To: canberrabirds chatline
Subject: of interest?
Some years ago when away "looking for the night parrot" with Graeme
Chapman (!!!!),
Graeme said only 3 of our wood swallow sp. clustered when roosting. What say
you Mark C?
The attached show 3 that I think have roosted o/night
1 - Little w/swallows clustered in hollow tree p.m. - early a.m. photo
as flying out .
2 - Black-faced w/s clustered p.m. under branches - photo G.C. - tree
now bulldozed, Yowah opal mines.
3 - White-breasted w/s clustered p.m. along branch.
I note that M. Morcombe in field guide says that Dusky w/s cluster at night.
Any thoughts welcome.
Steve.
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