Tenggara Swiftlet
Collocalia sumbawae
A tiny swift with dark plumage except for the off-white underside from the lower breast down. Tail looks square, only sometimes showing a very marginal tail notch. Aerial and gregarious, gathering in flocks over a variety of habitats, both open and forested. Restricted to the western Lesser Sundas, where it only overlaps with one other similar species, White-nest Swiftlet. Tenggara Swiflet is smaller with a white underside, unlike that species.
Identification
The Tenggara swiftlet is 9–10 cm (3.5–3.9 in) in length with a square tail. The back and upper surface of the wings are dark blue with a moderate gloss. The rump is generally dark but sometimes includes feathers with thin white edging. The throat and upper breast are grey with fine white scalloping merging into larger greyish chevrons over the lower breast and flanks, becoming white over the belly. There is occasionally a tuft of small feathers on the hallux, the rear facing toe. This species lacks the white spots on the inner webs of the tail feathers that are present in some Collocalia species.
Taxonomy
The Tenggara swiftlet was described by the German ornithologist Erwin Stresemann in 1925 under the present binomial name Collocalia sumbawae. The type locality is the island of Sumbawa in the Lesser Sunda Islands. The Tenggara swiftlet was formerly treated as a subspecies of the glossy swiftlet but was promoted to species status based on the results of a detailed analysis of the swiftlets in the genus Collocalia published in 2017.<p>There are two subspecies:
- Scientific name
- Collocalia sumbawae
- Authority
- Stresemann, 1925
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Family
- Apodidae
- Genus
- Collocalia
Photos
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Puvel's Illadopsis
Illadopsis puveli
A mid-sized, chunky, drably colored babbler. Has a white throat and pale gray underparts that are usually washed with buff. Found in the understory of gallery forest and thick bush, usually in pairs. Shy and skulking, and rarely seen unless searched for. Similar to other illadopsises, and best located and distinguished by voice. Visually most similar to Rufous-winged Illadopsis, but found in different habitat, slightly larger, and usually buffy on the underparts. Paler below than Brown or Pale-breasted Illadopsises. Most often detected by distinctive voice: a series of several whistles in an up then down pattern that is weirdly reminiscent of trying to start a car, similar to the song of Rufous-winged Illadopsis, but higher-pitched and slightly more rambling and variable, with more notes in each phrase
Blue-headed Vireo
Vireo solitarius
Attractive, colorful vireo with thick white spectacles. Note dark blue-gray head, yellowish sides, and bold white wingbars. Breeds in forested areas, typically mixed coniferous and deciduous. Migrants can be found in any wooded area, often in flocks with other small songbirds. Winters from the southeastern U.S. to Central America. Blue-headed is the brightest of the "Solitary Vireo" complex, and usually identifiable by range alone. Compare especially with Cassin's Vireo on the wintering grounds, but note Blue-headed is more colorful and contrasty. Especially look for contrast between the dark gray face and white throat. Some birds are best left unidentified. Song is sweeter and slower than other vireos in breeding range.
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