Uniform Swiftlet
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| Collocalia vanikorensis (Quoy & Gaimard, 1830) |
The Uniform Swiftlet ( Collocalia vanikorensis ), also known as the Vanikoro or Lowland Swiftlet, is a gregarious, medium-sized (27 cm wingspan, 13 cm in length, 11 g in weight), swiftlet with a shallowly forked tail. The colouring is dark grey-brown, darker on the upperparts with somewhat paler underparts, especially on chin and throat. It is similar to, and most likely to be confused with, the White-rumped Swiftlet or Mountain Swiftlet. Several subspecies are recognised.
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[edit] Distribution
Widespread from the Philippines through Wallacea, New Guinea and Melanesia. It has been recorded as a rare vagrant to Australia, from Cape York Peninsula and islands in Torres Strait.
[edit] Habitat
Forages over lowland forests and open areas.
[edit] Food
Flying insects, especially flying ants.
[edit] Breeding
Nests colonially in caves where it uses echolocation to navigate. The nest is a shallow cup of mossy material and saliva, usually attached to a vertical surface of a cave wall in the completely dark zone. One or two white eggs form the clutch.
[edit] Conservation
Common and widespread species assessed as being of Least Concern
[edit] References
- Beehler, Bruce M.; & Finch, Brian W. (1985). Species Checklist of the Birds of New Guinea. RAOU Monograph No.1. Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union: Melbourne. ISBN 0-9599823-2-9
- Beehler, Bruce M.; Pratt, Thane K.; & Zimmerman, Dale A. (1986). Birds of New Guinea. Wau Ecology Handbook No.9. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-02394-8
- BirdLife International 2004. Collocalia vanikorensis. In: IUCN 2006. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded 12 March 2007
- Coates, Brian J. (1985). The Birds of Papua New Guinea. Volume 1: Non-Passerines. Dover Publications: Alderley, Queensland. ISBN 0-9590257-0-7
- Higgins, P.J. (ed). (1999). Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Volume 4: Parrots to Dollarbird. Oxford University Press: Melbourne. ISBN 0-19-553071-3
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