Plume-toed Swiftlet

Overview

The plume-toed swiftlet (Collocalia affinis) is a small bird in the swift family Apodidae, found on eastern Indian Ocean islands, the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and lowland Borneo. It was previously considered a subspecies of the glossy swiftlet before being promoted to full species status in 2017 following a detailed analysis of the genus Collocalia.

Identification

• 9–10 cm in length with a square tail and a distinctive tuft of small feathers on the hallux.
• Back and upper wing surfaces are uniformly dark greenish-blue with a moderate gloss.
• Dark grey throat and upper breast merge into large greyish chevrons over the lower breast and flanks, typically becoming white on the belly.
• Lacks a pale contrasting rump and has no white spots on the inner webs of the tail feathers.

Habitat

The plume-toed swiftlet inhabits subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. Its range covers eastern Indian Ocean islands, the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and lowland Borneo.

Did you know?

The specific epithet affinis is Latin for 'related' or 'applied', reflecting its historical classification as a subspecies of the glossy swiftlet. Its type locality is Port Blair in the Andaman Islands.