Grey-rumped treeswift facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Grey-rumped treeswift |
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| Conservation status | |
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| Genus: |
Hemiprocne
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| Species: |
longipennis
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The grey-rumped treeswift (Hemiprocne longipennis) is a special kind of bird. It belongs to a small family of birds called Hemiprocnidae. There are only four types of treeswifts alive today.
Treeswifts are related to "true swifts." But unlike true swifts, treeswifts love to perch on trees. You'll often see them resting on high branches or even on power lines! When they sit, their wing tips cross over their tail. This bird is very common in peninsular Malaysia. It lives across a huge area, but we don't have much information about how many there are.
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What Does the Grey-rumped Treeswift Look Like?
Male grey-rumped treeswifts have a dark grey throat and chest. This color stands out against their white belly. They also have dull orange-red or chestnut-colored patches near their ears.
Female treeswifts look a bit different. They do not have the orange-red or chestnut colors near their ears. Both male and female treeswifts have a shiny greenish look on their upper bodies. When they are perched, their wing tips cross over their tail.
Where Do Grey-rumped Treeswifts Live?
You can find the grey-rumped treeswift in many countries. These include Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.
These birds live in special places called habitats. They prefer warm, wet lowland forests. They also live in tropical mangrove forests and moist mountain forests.
How Grey-rumped Treeswifts Live and Behave
Grey-rumped treeswifts are good at catching insects. They often fly out from a branch to catch bugs in the air. Then they return to their perch.
Building a Nest
These birds build their nests on tree branches. Their nests are shaped like half a saucer. They are made from hardened saliva, which is like strong bird spit! The birds mix in feathers, moss, or pieces of tree bark to make the nest sturdy.
They lay only one egg. The egg is attached to the nest surface with saliva. Because the nest is delicate, it is only attached to the branch on one side. This means the bird cannot sit directly on the nest to keep the egg warm.
Raising Their Young
Instead of sitting on the nest, parent birds keep the egg warm in a clever way. They perch on the branch just above the nest. Then, they fluff out their breast feathers to cover the egg. This helps to keep it warm and safe.
Both the male and female treeswifts help to incubate the egg. When one parent takes over from the other, they perch close by. Then, they carefully slide over the nest to switch places.
