ASIAN PALM-SWIFT

Photographed at Arey Ksat, Cambodia, November 2023

 1322                  ASIAN PALM-SWIFT             Cypsiurus balasiensis

CAMBODIA              14

Open country, urban areas, often near palm trees; up to 1,525 m. Often found in small highly active groups. Resident India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, SW & S China, Greater Sundra, Philippines. Uncommon to common resident in SE Asia.

HOUSE SWIFT

Photographed on Boigu Island, Torres Straits, March 2018.

(* 875)                  HOUSE SWIFT                    Apus nipalensis 

AUSTRALIA                  738

Found in Japan, Nepal and Southeast Asia; vagrant to Australia. Capable of flying long distances by shutting off hemispheres of their brain in-flight. used to be considered a subspecies of Little Swift.

COOK'S SWIFT

Photographed Christmas Island, December 2016

 1223              COOK'S SWIFT                  Apus cooki 

AUSTRALIA                      716                 

Breeds in limestone caves in Thailand, Myanmar and Indochina; lays 2-3 eggs on cliff returning to same site each year.

ASIAN PALM SWIFT

March 2017

1135              ASIAN PALM SWIFT                 Cypsiurus balasienis 

SRI LANKA            166

Found mainly around fan palms. 13 cm. Fairly common breeding resident rather locally throughout Sri Lanka.   

LITTLE SWIFT

Subspecies singalensis, photographed March 2017

1242            LITTLE SWIFT                    Apus affinis

SRI LANKA                61    

Often found near large rocky outcrops. 15 cm. Fairly common breeding resident rather locally from from lowlands up to high hills. 

PACIFIC SWIFT

Photographed on Christmas Island, December 2016

964              PACIFIC SWIFT                Apus pacificus

AUSTRALIA             (696)

Originally known as Forktailed Swift before being divided into four species; also known as White-rumped Swift. 16-19 cm, wingspan 38-43 cm. Found in the air over open country, from semi-desert to coasts, islands, sometimes over forests and cities. Breeds Siberia and Himalayas, e to Japan, se Asia.

COMMON SWIFT

Photographed on Christmas Island, December 2016

958                COMMON SWIFT                   Apus apus

AUSTRALIA (Christmas Island)                688

16-17 cm; 38-40 wingspan.  Migratory; breed from Spain and Ireland in west across to China and Siberia in the east, as far south as North Africa, the Middle East, the Near East across Turkey, the whole of Europe and most of sub-attic Russia; migrate to Equatorial and Sub-Equatorial Africa.

NOTE: This is the first ever record and photograph of the Common Swift in Australia.

HOUSE SWIFT

Photographed on Lombok, Indonesia October 2016 

(875)              HOUSE SWIFT                    Apus nipalensis 

INDONESIA (Lombok)          (98)        

Also known as Little Swift. 15 cm. Hunts for insects on the wing over open country and marshy areas, rarely near forests. Distribution: Africa, tropical and subtropical Eurasia: widespread and locally common resident in Sumatra, kalimantan, Java and Bali; has recently expanded to parts of Wallacea.

WHITE-THROATED NEEDLETAIL

Photographed over Distillery Creek Picnic area, Airey Inlet, Victoria February 2015.

502          WHITE-THROATED NEEDLETAIL          Hirundapus caudacutus

Australia      (343)

Also known as Spine-tailed Swift. 19-21 cm. Breeds w. Siberia, Himalayas e. to Japan; regular summer visitor to e. Australia; found down eastern quarter of mainland and in Tasmania. Habitat is airspace over forests, woodlands, farmlands, plains, lakes, coasts, towns, feeding parties often patrol along favoured hilltops and timbered ranges. Loose parties to large flocks, often appear before unsettled weather, feeding on rising insects.have been observed from aircraft at c. 2000 feet above sea level over Aust. Alps. Airspeed when overtaken at c. 1000 feet above sea level was c. 100-125 km/h.