Photo: Duncan Wright / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
White-rumped Swiftlet
Aerodramus spodiopygius
White-rumped Swiftlet (Aerodramus spodiopygius) — Swifts of Australia & Oceania.
The White-rumped Swiftlet (Aerodramus spodiopygius) is a member of the Apodidae family found in Australia & Oceania and Oceans & Seabirds. Adults weigh 8 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Apodiformes
- Family Apodidae Swifts
- Genus Aerodramus
- Species spodiopygius
Quick facts
- Weight
- 8 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Apodidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The White-rumped Swiftlet is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The White-rumped Swiftlet is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The White-rumped Swiftlet (Aerodramus spodiopygius) is a species of bird in the Apodidae family, part of the order Apodiformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania and Oceans & Seabirds. Its distribution covers AU, PO Bismarck Arch. to Samoa.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 8 g, with a wing length of about 11.7 cm and a tail of around 5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 136,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White-rumped Swiftlet?
The White-rumped Swiftlet is a very small bird that weighs around 8 g.
Where does the White-rumped Swiftlet live?
The White-rumped Swiftlet is found across Australia & Oceania and Oceans & Seabirds with a range covering AU, PO Bismarck Arch. to Samoa, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the White-rumped Swiftlet belong to?
The White-rumped Swiftlet (Aerodramus spodiopygius) belongs to the Apodidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the White-rumped Swiftlet eat?
The White-rumped Swiftlet is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the White-rumped Swiftlet migrate?
The White-rumped Swiftlet is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the White-rumped Swiftlet endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the White-rumped Swiftlet make?
1 real field recording of the White-rumped Swiftlet — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the White-rumped Swiftlet's range?
The White-rumped Swiftlet has a mapped global range of about 136,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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