Habitat
Aerodramus Genus
The Marquesan Swiftlet (Aerodramus ocistus) is a species of swift in the Apodidae family. It is native to French Polynesia. Its inhabits subtropical or tropical moist lowland . It now habitats South-East Asia.
The Black-nest Swiftlet (Aerodramus maximus) can inhabit a variety of habitats, from lowlands to mountains and over deep forest. Usually near breeding caves.
The Edible-nest Swiftlet (Aerodramus fuciphaga) inhabit South-East Asia.
The Seychelles Swiftlet (Aerodramus elaphrus) inhabits the Seychelles Islands in the Indian Ocean.
The Mascarene Swiftlet (Aerodramus francicus) is found in Mauritius and Réunion. It inhabits subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland, subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland, caves, arable land, and heavily degraded former forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.
The Indian Swiftlet, also called the Indian Edible-nest Swiftlet, (Aerodramus unicolor) is a common resident to the hills of Sri Lanka and south west India. It inhabits the caves there.
The Mangaia Swiftlet (Aerodramusa manuoi) is an extinct species of bird in the swift family. It became extinct during prehistoric times. It was native to Mangaia, Cook Islands. It was closely allied with the extant Atiu Swiftlet (Aerodramus sawtelli) of Atiu, Mangaia's neighbouring island, though it was probably slightly larger.
These are only a few species in the Aerodramus family other habitats include: Philippines, Indonesia, New Guinea and the nearby islands of Karkar, Yapen and Goodenough American Samoa, Fiji, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Vanuatu Queensland Himalayas and Southeast Asia, Borneo, the Natuna and the Derawan Islands, islands off western Sumatra and Java, Wallacea, Melanesia Palau Caroline Islands in the Cook Islands Society Islands in French Polynesia, China, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, Atiu.
Collocalia Genus
The Glossy Swiftlet (Collocalia esculenta) is found in Australia, Brunei, Christmas Island, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, Andaman Islands, Solomon Islands, Thailand, and Vanuatu.
The Cave Swiftlet (Collocalia linchi) is found in Indonesia and Malaysia, it inhabits woodland areas and nests in caves.
The Pygmy Swiftlet (Collocalia troglodytes) is enative to the Philippines and it inhabits subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, it the world's smallest swift (3.5 in).
Aerodramus Genus
The Marquesan Swiftlet (Aerodramus ocistus) is a species of swift in the Apodidae family. It is native to French Polynesia. Its inhabits subtropical or tropical moist lowland . It now habitats South-East Asia.
The Black-nest Swiftlet (Aerodramus maximus) can inhabit a variety of habitats, from lowlands to mountains and over deep forest. Usually near breeding caves.
The Edible-nest Swiftlet (Aerodramus fuciphaga) inhabit South-East Asia.
The Seychelles Swiftlet (Aerodramus elaphrus) inhabits the Seychelles Islands in the Indian Ocean.
The Mascarene Swiftlet (Aerodramus francicus) is found in Mauritius and Réunion. It inhabits subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland, subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland, caves, arable land, and heavily degraded former forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.
The Indian Swiftlet, also called the Indian Edible-nest Swiftlet, (Aerodramus unicolor) is a common resident to the hills of Sri Lanka and south west India. It inhabits the caves there.
The Mangaia Swiftlet (Aerodramusa manuoi) is an extinct species of bird in the swift family. It became extinct during prehistoric times. It was native to Mangaia, Cook Islands. It was closely allied with the extant Atiu Swiftlet (Aerodramus sawtelli) of Atiu, Mangaia's neighbouring island, though it was probably slightly larger.
These are only a few species in the Aerodramus family other habitats include: Philippines, Indonesia, New Guinea and the nearby islands of Karkar, Yapen and Goodenough American Samoa, Fiji, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Vanuatu Queensland Himalayas and Southeast Asia, Borneo, the Natuna and the Derawan Islands, islands off western Sumatra and Java, Wallacea, Melanesia Palau Caroline Islands in the Cook Islands Society Islands in French Polynesia, China, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, Atiu.
Collocalia Genus
The Glossy Swiftlet (Collocalia esculenta) is found in Australia, Brunei, Christmas Island, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, Andaman Islands, Solomon Islands, Thailand, and Vanuatu.
The Cave Swiftlet (Collocalia linchi) is found in Indonesia and Malaysia, it inhabits woodland areas and nests in caves.
The Pygmy Swiftlet (Collocalia troglodytes) is enative to the Philippines and it inhabits subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, it the world's smallest swift (3.5 in).
Taxonomy
This is the taxonomy of the swiftlet:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Subclass: Neornithes
Infraclass: Neognathae
Order: Apodidae
Genus: Various
This is the taxonomy of the swiftlet:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Subclass: Neornithes
Infraclass: Neognathae
Order: Apodidae
Genus: Various
Echolocation
Only the Aerodramus and Collocalia genus' have the ability to use echolocation. Since these swiftlets usually live in dark caves they have to use echolocation quite a bit because their eyes do not allow them to see in the dark but they have a very good sense of hearing. The echolocation that Swiftlets use can be heard by humans. The method of echolocation they use is a series of single, brief, sharp clicks that sound like two stones being hit together. These clicks are produced via the syrinx. The vibration of the clicks then bounces off of the cave/ habitat walls and is picked back up by the Swiftlet. The time it takes for the vibrations to come back to the bird, or the changes in frequency of the vibrations (due to the different shapes and structures of whatever is in front of them) helps them form a picture of their surroundings and what is ahead of them. They use echolocation to navigate around turns, locate walls or their nests, but they cannot detect small objects like flying insects. They also use echolocation as a social tool.
Only the Aerodramus and Collocalia genus' have the ability to use echolocation. Since these swiftlets usually live in dark caves they have to use echolocation quite a bit because their eyes do not allow them to see in the dark but they have a very good sense of hearing. The echolocation that Swiftlets use can be heard by humans. The method of echolocation they use is a series of single, brief, sharp clicks that sound like two stones being hit together. These clicks are produced via the syrinx. The vibration of the clicks then bounces off of the cave/ habitat walls and is picked back up by the Swiftlet. The time it takes for the vibrations to come back to the bird, or the changes in frequency of the vibrations (due to the different shapes and structures of whatever is in front of them) helps them form a picture of their surroundings and what is ahead of them. They use echolocation to navigate around turns, locate walls or their nests, but they cannot detect small objects like flying insects. They also use echolocation as a social tool.
This table is a summary of the echolocation click boundaries of different swiftlets.