Volcano Swiftlet
Aerodramus vulcanorum
A Javan endemic, this rare and enigmatic swiftlet breeds in the craters of a handful of active volcanoes. Forages over the craters and surrounding montane forest. Dark brown above and paler below, with a forked tail and paleish rump. Other dark swiftlets are unlikely up in the high altitudes where Volcano Swiftlet occurs, and average more square-tailed, though this can be difficult to judge accurately. Gives high-pitched screams and clicks.
Identification
The volcano swiftlet (Aerodramus vulcanorum or Collocalia vulcanorum) is a species of bird in the Apodidae family, formerly considered conspecific with the Himalayan swiftlet (Aerodramus brevirostris).The volcano swiftlet is commonly measured at 13–14 centimetres (5.1–5.5 in) long and characterized as dark gray with an unmissable brown rump band, whereas younger individuals show a less defined band. They can be easily heard because of the unique "Teeree teereeeee teeereeeee" clicking sound they make. Nothing is known about the diet of this bird. Many species of Aerodramus swiftlets nest colonially in caves, which leads them to use echolocation to navigate through the dark environments like caves and crevices, as well as during the twilight hours. While the swiftlet can echolocate like the very known species of the bat, they are much less educated and less refined in using it for capturing prey. This echolocation capability distinguishes Aerodramus from closely related genera like Hydrochous and most species within Collocalia.
Taxonomy
Genus: Aerodramus; Family: Apodidae; Order: Apodiformes.
- Scientific name
- Aerodramus vulcanorum
- Authority
- (Stresemann, 1926)
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Family
- Apodidae
- Genus
- Aerodramus
Range and habitat
Aerodramus vulcanorum nests in rock crevices at 1000 to 3,000m above sea level. It forages around peaks and ridges of volcanoes and over hilly primary forest. All known breeding sites are on active volcanoes. the active elevation range of this species plays a major role in where it lives.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: stable.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
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