The white-breasted woodswallow (Artamus leucorynchus) is named swallow because of its graceful, soaring flight patterns - but it is not closely related to true swallows. It is a close relative of shrikes (butcherbirds) and the Australian magpie – hence the scientific name artamus, meaning "butcher" or "murderer in Ancient Greek. A fast-flying Australian and Southeast Asian woodland songbird, it is the only species of woodswallow that lacks any white markings on its tail.
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