Mountain swiftlet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mountain swiftlet |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Apodiformes |
| Family: | Apodidae |
| Genus: | Aerodramus |
| Species: |
A. hirundinaceus
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| Binomial name | |
| Aerodramus hirundinaceus (Stresemann, 1914)
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| Synonyms | |
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Collocalia hirundinacea |
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The mountain swiftlet (Aerodramus hirundinaceus) is a type of swift, a bird known for its fast flight. It lives only on the island of New Guinea and a few nearby islands like Karkar and Yapen. This bird is special because it's found nowhere else in the world! It usually lives in high, mountainous areas, from about 500 meters up to the treeline. You can find it in tropical forests and other mountain habitats. Sometimes, you might even spot them in lower areas near hills.
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What is a Mountain Swiftlet?
The mountain swiftlet is a medium-sized bird, about 11 to 13 centimeters long. That's roughly the length of a pen! It has dark brown feathers on its back and lighter gray feathers on its belly. Its tail is slightly forked, meaning it has a small V-shape.
Special Abilities of the Mountain Swiftlet
Like some other animals, the mountain swiftlet can echolocate. This means it uses sound to "see" its surroundings, especially in dark places. It sends out special clicks and listens for the echoes that bounce back. This amazing skill helps it fly and navigate inside the dark caves where it makes its home.
Life Cycle and Reproduction
Mountain swiftlets are social birds and often live in groups called colonies. They build their nests inside caves.
Building a Home
Their nests are made from things like ferns, small roots, and grasses. They hold these materials together using their own saliva, which acts like a natural glue! Even though they live in colonies, they don't usually build their nests super close to each other in the caves.
Raising Chicks
The busiest time for breeding is from October to December. However, you might find nests with eggs or chicks at other times of the year too. When a female mountain swiftlet lays eggs, she usually lays just one egg at a time.
Raising a baby swiftlet takes a long time. The young birds stay in the nest for about 57 to 74 days. This is one of the longest periods for any swift! But even though it takes a while, many mountain swiftlets are successful parents. About 61% of them manage to raise their chicks until they are ready to fly.
 | Tommie Smith |
 | Simone Manuel |
 | Shani Davis |
 | Simone Biles |
 | Alice Coachman |
