The fork-tailed palm swift was for a time placed in genus Reinarda that was later merged into Tachornis.[4] It has two subspecies, the nominateT. s. squamata and T. s. semota.[2]
Despite the similarity in their names, it is in a different genus than the Old World CypsiurusAfrican, Malagasy, and Asian palm swifts.[2]
Fork-tailed palm-swift
Descriptionedit
The fork-tailed palm swift is about 13 cm (5.1 in) long and weighs 9 to 13.6 g (0.32 to 0.48 oz). It has long narrow wings and a long deeply forked tail. The sexes are alike. Adults of the nominate subspecies T. s. squamata have blackish brown upperparts with a slight greenish gloss and pale gray edges on the feathers; the rump is slightly paler. Their cheeks are grayish brown and the throat very pale brownish white with dusky mottling. The rest of their underparts are pale with light brown mottling that is sparsest in the center of the belly. Their undertail coverts are blackish brown with pale edges. Juveniles are similar to adults but have a buff tinge to the head and buffy edges to their upperparts' feathers.[5]
Subspecies T. s. semota is darker overall than the nominate. It has blacker upperparts with less gray on the feathers' edges. Its underparts feathers are darker with very little pale edging and the undertail coverts are shining greenish black.[5]
Distribution and habitatedit
The nominate subspecies of fork-tailed palm swift is found in the Amazon Basin from northern Bolivia, eastern Peru, and eastern Ecuador through eastern Colombia and northwestern Brazil into southern and eastern Venezuela. T. s. semota is found on Trinidad, Tobago and in the Guianas and north central, northeastern, and eastern Brazil.[2][5]
The fork-tailed palm swift is found in a variety of landscapes that have in common the presence of palm trees, especially moriche palms. They include moist and wet savannas, palm swamps, riparian forest, and urban areas. It is a lowland species, with maximum known elevation of about 1,000 m (3,300 ft).[5]
Behavioredit
Movementedit
The fork-tailed palm swift is a year-round resident throughout its range.[5]
Feedingedit
Like all swifts, the fork-tailed palm swift is an aerial insectivore. It usually forages in small flocks of up to 10 of its species. Its diet is highly varied; it has been reported feeding on insects of at least nine orders. One study, however, found that in one area almost its entire diet was ants and termites, which hints that its diet varies geographically or seasonally.[5]
Breedingedit
The fork-tailed palm swift's breeding season varies geographically, for example between April and June on Trinidad and from September to November in central Brazil. It nests only in palm trees, most frequently in Mauritia flexuosa palms though also in other species including introduced ones. The nest is a "disorderly, elongated clump of feathers" bound with saliva and having a bottom entrance; it hangs from a dangling dead palm frond. The swift collects feathers by pulling them from birds in flight; most are taken from pigeons and parrots though birds of at least 21 families have been targeted. The clutch size is three eggs; they are incubated for about 21 days.[5]
Songs and calls
Listen to fork-tailed palm swift on xeno-canto
Vocalizationedit
The fork-tailed palm swift's flight calls have been described as "a trilling trrrrreeeee", "a buzzy d-z-z-z-z-z", and "a thin buzz, bzzzzzzz bzz bzzzzzz".[5]
Statusedit
The IUCN has assessed the fork-tailed palm swift as being of Least Concern. It has an extremely large range, and though its population size is not known it is believed to be stable. No immediate threats have been identified.[1] "This swift is adaptable to living around human habitations, and the planting of decorative palms provides nest sites for these birds."[5]
Referencesedit
^ abBirdLife International (2016). "Fork-tailed Palm-swift Tachornis squamata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22686751A93125297. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22686751A93125297.en. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
^ abcdGill, F.; Donsker, D.; Rasmussen, P., eds. (August 2022). "Owlet-nightjars, treeswifts, swifts". IOC World Bird List. v 12.2. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
^Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, A. Jaramillo, D. F. Lane, J. F. Pacheco, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 24 July 2022. A classification of the bird species of South America. American Ornithological Society. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm retrieved July 24, 2022
^ abcdefghiCooper, S. (2020). Fork-tailed Palm-Swift (Tachornis squamata), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (T. S. Schulenberg, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.ftpswi1.01 retrieved October 7, 2022
External linksedit
Fork-tailed palm swift photo gallery VIREO
Photo-High Res; Article flickr.com
December 15, 2023
fork, tailed, palm, swift, fork, tailed, palm, swift, neotropical, palm, swift, tachornis, squamata, species, bird, subfamily, apodinae, swift, family, apodidae, found, across, most, northern, south, america, trinidad, tobago, fork, tailed, palm, swift, flying. The fork tailed palm swift or Neotropical palm swift Tachornis squamata is a species of bird in subfamily Apodinae of the swift family Apodidae It is found across most of northern South America and on Trinidad and Tobago 2 3 Fork tailed palm swiftFork tailed palm swift flying over Apiacas Mato Grosso state BrazilConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass AvesClade StrisoresOrder ApodiformesFamily ApodidaeGenus TachornisSpecies T squamataBinomial nameTachornis squamata Cassin 1853 Contents 1 Taxonomy and systematics 2 Description 3 Distribution and habitat 4 Behavior 4 1 Movement 4 2 Feeding 4 3 Breeding 4 4 Vocalization 5 Status 6 References 7 External linksTaxonomy and systematics editThe fork tailed palm swift was for a time placed in genus Reinarda that was later merged into Tachornis 4 It has two subspecies the nominate T s squamata and T s semota 2 Despite the similarity in their names it is in a different genus than the Old World Cypsiurus African Malagasy and Asian palm swifts 2 nbsp Fork tailed palm swiftDescription editThe fork tailed palm swift is about 13 cm 5 1 in long and weighs 9 to 13 6 g 0 32 to 0 48 oz It has long narrow wings and a long deeply forked tail The sexes are alike Adults of the nominate subspecies T s squamata have blackish brown upperparts with a slight greenish gloss and pale gray edges on the feathers the rump is slightly paler Their cheeks are grayish brown and the throat very pale brownish white with dusky mottling The rest of their underparts are pale with light brown mottling that is sparsest in the center of the belly Their undertail coverts are blackish brown with pale edges Juveniles are similar to adults but have a buff tinge to the head and buffy edges to their upperparts feathers 5 Subspecies T s semota is darker overall than the nominate It has blacker upperparts with less gray on the feathers edges Its underparts feathers are darker with very little pale edging and the undertail coverts are shining greenish black 5 Distribution and habitat editThe nominate subspecies of fork tailed palm swift is found in the Amazon Basin from northern Bolivia eastern Peru and eastern Ecuador through eastern Colombia and northwestern Brazil into southern and eastern Venezuela T s semota is found on Trinidad Tobago and in the Guianas and north central northeastern and eastern Brazil 2 5 The fork tailed palm swift is found in a variety of landscapes that have in common the presence of palm trees especially moriche palms They include moist and wet savannas palm swamps riparian forest and urban areas It is a lowland species with maximum known elevation of about 1 000 m 3 300 ft 5 Behavior editMovement edit The fork tailed palm swift is a year round resident throughout its range 5 Feeding edit Like all swifts the fork tailed palm swift is an aerial insectivore It usually forages in small flocks of up to 10 of its species Its diet is highly varied it has been reported feeding on insects of at least nine orders One study however found that in one area almost its entire diet was ants and termites which hints that its diet varies geographically or seasonally 5 Breeding edit The fork tailed palm swift s breeding season varies geographically for example between April and June on Trinidad and from September to November in central Brazil It nests only in palm trees most frequently in Mauritia flexuosa palms though also in other species including introduced ones The nest is a disorderly elongated clump of feathers bound with saliva and having a bottom entrance it hangs from a dangling dead palm frond The swift collects feathers by pulling them from birds in flight most are taken from pigeons and parrots though birds of at least 21 families have been targeted The clutch size is three eggs they are incubated for about 21 days 5 nbsp Songs and callsListen to fork tailed palm swift on xeno canto Vocalization edit The fork tailed palm swift s flight calls have been described as a trilling trrrrreeeee a buzzy d z z z z z and a thin buzz bzzzzzzz bzz bzzzzzz 5 Status editThe IUCN has assessed the fork tailed palm swift as being of Least Concern It has an extremely large range and though its population size is not known it is believed to be stable No immediate threats have been identified 1 This swift is adaptable to living around human habitations and the planting of decorative palms provides nest sites for these birds 5 References edit a b BirdLife International 2016 Fork tailed Palm swift Tachornis squamata IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016 e T22686751A93125297 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2016 3 RLTS T22686751A93125297 en Retrieved 7 October 2022 a b c d Gill F Donsker D Rasmussen P eds August 2022 Owlet nightjars treeswifts swifts IOC World Bird List v 12 2 Retrieved August 9 2022 HBW and BirdLife International 2021 Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world Version 6 Available at http datazone birdlife org userfiles file Species Taxonomy HBW BirdLife Checklist v6 Dec21 zip retrieved August 7 2022 Remsen J V Jr J I Areta E Bonaccorso S Claramunt A Jaramillo D F Lane J F Pacheco M B Robbins F G Stiles and K J Zimmer Version 24 July 2022 A classification of the bird species of South America American Ornithological Society https www museum lsu edu Remsen SACCBaseline htm retrieved July 24 2022 a b c d e f g h i Cooper S 2020 Fork tailed Palm Swift Tachornis squamata version 1 0 In Birds of the World T S Schulenberg Editor Cornell Lab of Ornithology Ithaca NY USA https doi org 10 2173 bow ftpswi1 01 retrieved October 7 2022External links editFork tailed palm swift photo gallery VIREO Photo High Res Article flickr com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Fork tailed palm swift amp oldid 1160076744, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
