Sunday 27 July 2008

Swiftlet or swallows???



swallows (Hirundinidae), sparrows (Passeride) and house swifts (Apus Affinis; distinguished by white rumps - burung layang-layang) are not related to swifltlet (burung walit) at all. Swiftlet are from the Apodidae family. There are 24 species of swifllet recorded in the world. In Malaysia you can found about 5 species namely: H.Gigas, C.Esculent, C.Balasiensis, A. Fuciphagus and A. Maximus.

Swiftlets have very short legs and never settle on the ground, perching vertically on surfaces like cave walls or nesting planks where they build their nests.
There are 2 variety of swiflets.
  1. Aerodramus - Echolating swiftlet
  2. Collocalia - Non Echolating swiftlet

Swiftlet inhabit Southeast Asia, India sub continental dan Southern China (Hainan Island & Szechuan). The A.Fuciphagus si not found in China. Swiftlet are cave-dwelling birds and live in mountain or coastal cave, open areas and towns.

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