Grey-rumped Treeswift

The Grey-rumped Treeswift, Hemiprocne longipennis, is a captivating bird, part of the Hemiprocnidae family. This species, with its sleek form and arboreal tendencies, is a relative of the swifts yet distinct in its preference for perching high in the trees or on man-made structures such as high-tension power lines.

Identification Tips

Adult males of this species can be identified by their dark grey throats and chests, which provide a stark contrast to their white bellies. Their ear coverts are a subtle dull orange-red or chestnut hue. Females, on the other hand, do not share the same coloration on their ear coverts. Both sexes boast a greenish sheen on their upper parts and when at rest, their wing tips elegantly cross over their tails.

Habitat

The Grey-rumped Treeswift is at home in a variety of forested environments, including subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, mangrove forests, and moist montane forests.

Distribution

This bird's range is impressively vast, encompassing Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.

Behaviour

These treeswifts exhibit a fascinating behavior when feeding; they occasionally sally forth from their perches to catch insects mid-flight. Their nesting habits are equally intriguing, as they construct half-saucer-shaped nests on tree branches using a mix of hardened saliva, feathers, mosses, and tree bark flakes. The nests are delicately attached to branches on one side only, due to their fragile nature.

Breeding

During the breeding season, both sexes partake in the incubation of their single egg, which is cleverly attached to the nest surface with saliva. The parents exhibit a unique brooding method, perching above the nest and fluffing their breast feathers to cover it, rather than sitting directly on it.

Conservation status

The Grey-rumped Treeswift is currently listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, indicating that, for now, this species does not face immediate threats to its survival.