A photo of a White-throated Needletail (Hirundapus caudacutus)
White-throated Needletail

White-throated Needletail

Hirundapus caudacutus

The white-throated needletail (Hirundapus caudacutus), also known as needle-tailed swift or spine-tailed swift, is a large swift in the genus Hirundapus. White-throated needletails are large swifts with a robust, barrel-like body. They measure about 20 cm and weigh between 110 and 120 grams. They are greyish-brown except for a white throat and a white patch, extending from the base of the tail to the flanks. Needle-tailed swifts get their name from the spined end of their tail, which is not forked as it is in the typical swifts of the genus Apus. The white-throated needletail was first described by the English ornithologist John Latham in 1801 under the binomial name Hirundo caudacuta. Their current genus Hirundapus is constructed from the names of the swallow genus Hirundo and the swift genus Apus. The specific name caudacutus comes from the Latin words cauda meaning "tail" and acutus meaning "pointed". They build their nests in rock crevices in cliffs or hollow trees. They do not like to sit on the ground and spend most of their time in the air. They feed on small, flying insects like beetles, flies, bees and moths.
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White-throated Needletails on Birda

Sightings

A map showing the sighting location
🐠
Matthew Jacobs
Tuesday 03 Jan 2023 - 8:58pm
Australia
A map showing the sighting location
🦢
Eloise Croucamp
Tuesday 20 Dec 2022 - 9:28pm
Australia
A map showing the sighting location
🦢
Lucas Corneliussen
Monday 25 Jun 2018 - 7:18am
Indonesia
A map showing the sighting location
🐦
Edward Clifford
Saturday 10 Mar 2018 - 11:00am
Australia
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