Photo: Pauline Carmel Joy Eje / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Whiskered Treeswift
Hemiprocne comata
Whiskered Treeswift (Hemiprocne comata) — Swifts of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Whiskered Treeswift (Hemiprocne comata) is a member of the Hemiprocnidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 20.6 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 Hemiprocnidae Treeswifts
- Genus Hemiprocne
- Species comata
Quick facts
- Weight
- 20.6 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Hemiprocnidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Whiskered Treeswift is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Whiskered Treeswift is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Whiskered Treeswift (Hemiprocne comata) belongs to the Hemiprocnidae family of the order Apodiformes. It occurs naturally across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR Malay Pen., Sumatra, Borneo and Philippines.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 20.6 g, with a wing length of about 12.9 cm and a tail of around 7.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 1.5 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Whiskered Treeswift?
The Whiskered Treeswift is a small bird that weighs around 20.6 g.
Where does the Whiskered Treeswift live?
The Whiskered Treeswift is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR Malay Pen., Sumatra, Borneo and Philippines, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Whiskered Treeswift belong to?
The Whiskered Treeswift (Hemiprocne comata) belongs to the Hemiprocnidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the Whiskered Treeswift eat?
The Whiskered Treeswift is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Whiskered Treeswift migrate?
The Whiskered Treeswift is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Whiskered Treeswift 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 Whiskered Treeswift make?
1 real field recording of the Whiskered Treeswift — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Whiskered Treeswift's range?
The Whiskered Treeswift has a mapped global range of about 1.5 million 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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