Aerodramus nuditarsus
The Bare-legged Swiftlet (Aerodramus nuditarsus) is a captivating aerial insectivore endemic to the island of New Guinea, distinguishable by its unique unfeathered tarsi, a key field mark for in-hand identification. This relatively small swiftlet, measuring approximately 14 cm in length with a wingspan of about 30 cm, exhibits a uniformly sooty black to dark brownish-grey plumage, making it challenging to identify in flight without close observation. Taxonomically, it belongs to the genus Aer...
This swiftlet primarily inhabits pristine lowland and hill rainforests, often associated with karstic limestone formations and caves for roosting and nesting. It typically occurs at elevations from sea level up to 1600 meters, occasionally reaching 2000 meters.
Their diet consists exclusively of aerial insects, including various species of beetles, ants, flies, and wasps. They forage continuously during flight, snatching prey directly from the air with their wide gape.
Bare-legged Swiftlets are highly aerial and diurnal, spending most of their active hours foraging in rapid flight, returning to dark caves or rock shelters only at night for roosting. They navigate these subterranean environments using echolocation, emitting distinct clicking sounds that bounce o...
The Bare-legged Swiftlet is endemic to the large island of New Guinea, where it maintains a relatively widespread but localized distribution across both Indonesian Papua (Western New Guinea) and Papua New Guinea. Its range encompasses various mountain ranges and lowlands, including the Arfak Moun...
Least Concern
- The 'nuditarsus' in its scientific name directly translates to 'bare tarsus,' referring to its unique unfeathered legs, a key identification feature. - Unlike most birds, Bare-legged Swiftlets possess the remarkable ability to echolocate, emitting high-frequency clicks to navigate in the absolu...