Where do white-throated swifts nest?

Where do white-throated swifts nest?

Swifts
White-throated Swifts nest in mountainous and hilly areas, where they forage above forests, meadows, canyons, cliffs, and pinnacles. For nesting, they require crevices in cliffs, but they have adapted to human-modified environments and also nest in highway overpasses, quarries, buildings, and bridges.

Are white-throated Needletails endangered?

There is no published estimate of the world population of the White-throated Needletail; it is not considered globally threatened (Chantler 1999) and is classified as being of least concern (Birdlife International 2007q).

How big is a white-throated swift?

15–18 centimeters
Adults are generally 15–18 centimeters in length, and have a tail with a relatively shallow 10 millimeter-deep notch. Adult swifts weigh between 28 and 36 grams, with a mean weight recorded as 32.5 grams, and there is no difference in size between males and females. The white-throated swift has a wingspan of 35.5 cm.

Where does a white-throated needletail live?

Where does a white-throated needletail live? The white-throated needletails are mostly aerial birds who spend most of their lives flying. But their breeding grounds are in Southern Siberia and Central Asia in the summer. They migrate to Southeastern Asia and Australia during the winter.

How fast is a swift bird?

At a scientifically verifiable 31m/s (69 mph), achieved during mating flights (also known as “screaming parties”), the swift was named the fastest pair of wings in the world.

What’s the difference between a swallow and a swift?

Swifts fly in the upper part of the air column as they hunt; swallows pursue insects closer to the ground or water. If the bird is perched on a nest box, power line, or branch, that’s a giveaway: Only swallows have the wherewithal to sit upright. Swifts are just stage-five clingers.

How fast can a white-throated Needletail go?

105 mph
So for many years, it was commonly held by scientists that the fastest-flying bird in level flight was the White-throated Needletail (formerly known as the Spine-tailed Swift), which could supposedly reach speeds of up to 47m/s (105 mph).

Do Swifts land in Australia?

There are over ninety species of swifts worldwide but they are not well represented in mainland Australia, where only three of them occur regularly. Two of these migrate to Australia following breeding in Asia, and both can be seen in the eastern suburbs of Sydney in summer.

Who is the fastest bird in the world?

The Peregrine Falcon
It’s a bat. But first, some background: The Peregrine Falcon is indisputably the fastest animal in the sky. It has been measured at speeds above 83.3 m/s (186 mph), but only when stooping, or diving.

Do swifts sleep while flying?

Except when nesting, swifts spend their lives in the air, living on the insects caught in flight; they drink, feed, and often mate and sleep on the wing. Some individuals go 10 months without landing.

What kind of Swift has a white throat?

White-throated needletail. The white-throated needletail (Hirundapus caudacutus), also known as needle-tailed swift or spine-tailed swift, is a large swift in the genus Hirundapus.

How big is a white throated needletail Swift?

White-throated needletails are large swifts with a robust, barrel-like body. They measure about 20 cm and weigh between 110 and 120 grams.

What is the speed of a needletail Swift?

The white-throated needletail (Hirundapus caudacutus), also known as needle-tailed swift or spine-tailed swift, is a large swift in the genus Hirundapus. It is reputed to reach speeds of up to 170 km/h (105 mph) in horizontal flight, but this is unverified because the methods used to measure its speed have not been published.

What kind of bird has a white throat?

A blackish brown bird with a white throat and a white strip down the center of the breast and belly. Upperparts are blackish with white flanks and a white trailing edge to the secondaries (the inner part of the wing). Catches tiny aerial insects, usually high in the sky.