Post by Romy Ocon on Apr 30, 2009 13:09:03 GMT
Taweewat Supindham, a new PBPF member from Thailand, just posted a photo of a swift species in flight, taken over Subic this April. Des Allen, Mark Wallbank and Ivan Sarenas of WBCP have identified the bird as a White-throated Needletail.
Taweewat's post at the ID Board:
birdphotoph.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=id&action=display&thread=2846
Taweewat's photo of the bird:
Wikipedia's description of the bird:
"The White-throated Needletail (Hirundapus caudacutus), also known as Needle-tailed Swift or Spine-tailed Swift, is a large swift. It is the fastest-flying bird in level, flapping flight, being capable of 170 km/h (105mph), faster than other swifts.[1]
"These birds have very short legs which they use only for clinging to vertical surfaces. They build their nests in rock crevices in cliffs or hollow trees. They never settle voluntarily on the ground and spend most of their lives in the air, living on the insects they catch in their beaks.
"These swifts breeds in rocky hills in central Asia and southern Siberia. This species is migratory, wintering south to Australia. It is a rare vagrant in western Europe, but has been recorded as far west as Norway, Sweden and Great Britain.
"The White-throated Needletail is a large bird, similar in size to Alpine Swift, but a quite different build, with a heavier barrel-like body. They are black except for a white throat, white undertail, which extends on to the flanks, and a somewhat paler brown back."
Congrats to Taweewat for the possibly new country record, this can bring the number of bird species in our islands to 615!
Taweewat's post at the ID Board:
birdphotoph.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=id&action=display&thread=2846
Taweewat's photo of the bird:
Wikipedia's description of the bird:
"The White-throated Needletail (Hirundapus caudacutus), also known as Needle-tailed Swift or Spine-tailed Swift, is a large swift. It is the fastest-flying bird in level, flapping flight, being capable of 170 km/h (105mph), faster than other swifts.[1]
"These birds have very short legs which they use only for clinging to vertical surfaces. They build their nests in rock crevices in cliffs or hollow trees. They never settle voluntarily on the ground and spend most of their lives in the air, living on the insects they catch in their beaks.
"These swifts breeds in rocky hills in central Asia and southern Siberia. This species is migratory, wintering south to Australia. It is a rare vagrant in western Europe, but has been recorded as far west as Norway, Sweden and Great Britain.
"The White-throated Needletail is a large bird, similar in size to Alpine Swift, but a quite different build, with a heavier barrel-like body. They are black except for a white throat, white undertail, which extends on to the flanks, and a somewhat paler brown back."
Congrats to Taweewat for the possibly new country record, this can bring the number of bird species in our islands to 615!
