Wildlifeof China
Himalayan Swiftlet
Nightjars, Frogmouths & Swifts
Photo: (c) Wang.QG, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY
Aerodramus brevirostris
Basic stats
Habitat
Colonial breeder; the nominate race breeds up to above 4,500m and winters at 900–2,750m
Range
Himalayas east to Bangladesh, Myanmar and Thailand, and Southeast Asia; one subspecies breeds in south-western China and another in central China
Clutch size
2 white eggs
Size
13–14cm
The Himalayan swiftlet is a small swift 13–14cm long with swept-back, crescent-like wings, a slender body and a forked tail. It is mainly grey-brown above and paler brown below, with a pale grey rump and a pale patch above and behind the bill. The nominate race breeds in the Himalayas east to Bangladesh, Myanmar and Thailand and is an altitudinal migrant, breeding up to above 4,500m and wintering at 900–2,750m (Wikipedia, general species account).
One subspecies breeds in south-western China, and another breeds in central China and winters in south-western Thailand and the Malay Peninsula. It is a common colonial breeder, with nests that may touch, and lays two white eggs. It has a twittering chit-chit roosting call and a piercing teeree-teeree-teeree call (Wikipedia, general species account).
Quick answers
- What habitat does the Himalayan Swiftlet live in?
- Colonial breeder; the nominate race breeds up to above 4,500m and winters at 900–2,750m
- Where is the Himalayan Swiftlet found?
- Himalayas east to Bangladesh, Myanmar and Thailand, and Southeast Asia; one subspecies breeds in south-western China and another in central China
- How many eggs does the Himalayan Swiftlet lay?
- 2 white eggs
- How big is the Himalayan Swiftlet?
- 13–14cm