Juvenile Grey-rumped Treeswifts (Hemiprocne longipennis)

posted in: bird, Grey-rumped Treeswift | 2

I had a quiet morning bird watching on 4th November 2022 at Ipoh, Perak. But when I came out of the forest there was a large mixed-feeding group of swifts. More than 40 birds together, comprising:  

Grey-rumped Treeswifts (Hemiprocne longipennis)                            15 

Silver-rumped Needletail/Spinetails (Rhaphidura leucopygialis)         10 

Plume-toed Swiftlets (Collocalia affinis)                                               10 

Other unidentified Swifts                                                                   5-10 

  

Wells (1999) notes that Grey-rumped Treeswifts foraging groups may be from 5-50 birds.   

Some of the swifts, with scaly breasts, I did not initially recognise until I processed the images. 

See these two birds below. 

Image 1: Juvenile Grey-rumped Treeswift in flight. Kledang Sayong Forest Reserve Ipoh, perak, Malaysia. 4 November 2022.
Image 2: Juvenile Grey-rumped Treeswift with scaly underparts seen during flight. Kledang Sayong Forest Reserve Ipoh, perak, Malaysia. 4 November 2022.

They are juvenile (possibly male) Grey-rumped Treeswifts. I have not seen juveniles in flight prior to this.  

The next two images are of adults (male and female). 

Image 3: Adult male Grey-rumped Treeswift in flight. Kledang Sayong Forest Reserve Ipoh, perak, Malaysia. 4 November 2022.
Image 4: Adult female Grey-rumped Treeswift in flight. Kledang Sayong Forest Reserve Ipoh, perak, Malaysia. 4 November 2022.

 

References: 

Wells, D.R. (1999). The birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula: Vol. 1 (Passerines). Christopher Helm, London 

   

Dato’ Dr Amar-Singh HSS 

Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia 

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2 Responses

  1. BESG

    Dear Vanessa,

    Thank you for your humour. The longipennis refers to the long wing feathers which criss-cross each other at the back of the bird.

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