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Photo: Gray, George Robert; Hullmandel & Walton; Hullmandel, Charles Joseph; Mitchell, D. W. / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Pygmy Swiftlet

Collocalia troglodytes

Pygmy Swiftlet (Collocalia troglodytes) — Swifts of South & Southeast Asia.

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The Pygmy Swiftlet (Collocalia troglodytes) is a member of the Apodidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 5.4 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

  1. Class Aves
  2. Order Apodiformes
  3. Family Apodidae Swifts
  4. Genus Collocalia
  5. Species troglodytes

Where it lives

Philippines

Quick facts

Weight
5.4 g
Family
Apodidae
Order
Apodiformes
Habitat
Woodland

How to identify

Similar birds

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Pygmy 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 Pygmy Swiftlet is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Pygmy Swiftlet (Collocalia troglodytes) belongs to the Apodidae family of the order Apodiformes. Its range spans South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR Philippines.

It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 5.4 g, with a wing length of about 9.3 cm and a tail of around 3.9 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 283,000 km².

Songs & calls

Pygmy Swiftlet — Call

Recorded by Hans Matheve Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Pygmy Swiftlet?

The Pygmy Swiftlet is a very small bird that weighs around 5.4 g.

Where does the Pygmy Swiftlet live?

The Pygmy Swiftlet is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR Philippines, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.

What family does the Pygmy Swiftlet belong to?

The Pygmy Swiftlet (Collocalia troglodytes) belongs to the Apodidae family, in the order Apodiformes.

What does the Pygmy Swiftlet eat?

The Pygmy Swiftlet is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Does the Pygmy Swiftlet migrate?

The Pygmy Swiftlet is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Pygmy 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 Pygmy Swiftlet make?

1 real field recording of the Pygmy Swiftlet — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Pygmy Swiftlet's range?

The Pygmy Swiftlet has a mapped global range of about 283,000 km².

Conservation

Least Concern

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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