|
Pygmy swiftlet
The pygmy swiftlet (Collocalia troglodytes) is a species of swift in the family Apodidae. It is endemic to the Philippines. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forests. At under 9 cm (3.5 in), it is the world's smallest swift. It weighs only 5 grams.
Description and taxonomyEbird describes this species " A tiny, common swiftlet found over lowland forest. Gray below with a paler belly, a darker throat, and dark patches on the underside of the base of the forewing. Black above with a distinctive white band on the rump. Tail square, and dark under the base. Nests in caves, where it uses echolocation. Similar to Gray-rumped Swiftlet, but Pygmy is slightly smaller, with a cleaner white rump band. Gives grating calls in flight." This species is monotypic. Ecology and behaviorIt feeds small insects in flight. Forms small groups when foraging. Swiftlets that nest in complete darkness in caves can use echolocation, the ability to position an object by reflected sound, used by other animals such as dolphins and bats. Breeding season varies per island but usually within the window from May to September[2] Habitat and conservationThis is a lowland species thats mostly found near forest and bodies of water. International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed this species as a least-concern species as it has a large range and is common. However, it has a declining population due to deforestation from land conversion, Illegal logging and slash-and-burn farming.[3] References
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
