Purple needletail facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Purple needletail |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Hirundapus
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| Species: |
celebensis
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The purple needletail (Hirundapus celebensis) is a very large bird. It is a type of swift. In the Tagalog language, people call it hagibas. This bird lives in the Old World, which means places like Europe, Asia, and Africa. You can find it mainly in the Philippine islands and the Minahasa Peninsula in Sulawesi.
Contents
About the Purple Needletail
Where Do They Live?
Purple needletails live in different kinds of forests. They also live in open areas. You can find them in lowlands or on hills. They live at heights from about 150 m (490 ft) to 2,000 m (6,600 ft) above sea level.
What Do They Look Like?
These swifts are truly huge birds. They are about 25 cm (9.8 in) long. They usually weigh between 170 g (6.0 oz) and 203 g (7.2 oz). One study found their average weight was 180 g (6.3 oz). Their wings can spread out to about 60 cm (24 in).
Their feathers are mostly a dark, blackish color. They have a white mark near their eyes. Like other needletails, they have a special tail. This tail has subtle, needle-like tips. They also have a white mark under their body that looks like a horseshoe. The purple needletail is very dark compared to other needletails. It is the only one that does not have a light-colored throat. Only the white-naped swift is similar in size.
Their Daily Life
We do not know much about the daily life of the purple needletail. They like to live in groups. They probably stay with at least 20 other birds. Even from far away, you can tell these swifts are very big.
They are thought to eat large, flying insects. Sometimes, they even fly around bee-farms. They might pick off bees from the hive. We do not know much about how they have babies. But, people think they build their nests in caves. We also do not know what their voice sounds like.
How Common Are They?
It is hard to know exactly how many purple needletails there are. People think they are rare or uncommon in most places they live. But, they are not considered an endangered species. In some parts of the Philippines, you can find many of them.
