White-throated Needletail

Hirundapus caudacutusOrder: APODIFORMES Family: Swifts (Apodidae)

Codes: Common Name: WTNE Scientific Name: HIRCAU ITIS Taxonomic No.: 178021

White-throated Needletail Breeding Male Small Portrait

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Overview

White-throated Needletail: Large swift, gray-brown overall with white throat and undertail. Wings are glossed with green. Tail is short and square, with protruding feather shafts giving a spiked appearance. Very swift flight with several rapid wing beats followed by swooping glides.

Range and Habitat

White-throated Needletail: Native of Eurasia, sometimes visits the outer Aleutians in the springtime. Preferred habitats include skies over cities, timbered ridges, and hilltops.

Topo Map: Swallow-like Body

Voice Text

"chitter-chitter-chitter"

Interesting Facts

The White-throated Needletail was first described in 1802 by John Latham, an English physician, naturalist and author.

It was formerly known as the Spine-tailed Swift. It is also sometimes known as the Storm-bird or Stormbird.

This large swift is often mistaken in flight for a small predatory bird, but its long curved wings and white markings should identify it.

A group of swifts are collectively known as a "box", "flock", "screaming frenzy", and "swoop" of swifts.

Bird Term Glossary

Author

Gary Owen Dick

Artist

Irina Rud-Volga

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

White-throated Needletail

● Song: "chitter-chitter-chitter"

● Foraging & Feeding: White-throated Needletail: Feeds on flying insects, such as termites, beetles, and flies; forages in flight.

● Breeding & nesting: White-throated Needletail: Three to six white eggs are laid in a nest made of various materials, glued together with saliva, and built in a hollow or similar crevice high in a tall conifer. Incubation ranges from 17 to 23 days and is carried out by both parents.

● Similar species: White-throated Needletail: None in range.

Flight Pattern

Very swift flight with several rapid wing beats followed by swooping glides.

White-throated Needletail Breeding Male Body Illustration

● Range & Habitat: White-throated Needletail: Native of Eurasia, sometimes visits the outer Aleutians in the springtime. Preferred habitats include skies over cities, timbered ridges, and hilltops.

^BreedingMonogamous, Colonial

^PopulationCasual

^MigrationMigratory

^Weight4.2 Ounces

Swallow-like Body

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Field Guide to Birds of North America