Aerodramus whiteheadi
The Whitehead's Swiftlet (*Aerodramus whiteheadi*) is a distinctive, medium-sized swiftlet, measuring approximately 13-14 cm in length. Its plumage is uniformly dark sooty-brown, appearing almost black in flight, with slightly paler underparts and no discernible pale rump, which helps distinguish it from many other *Aerodramus* swiftlets. It possesses the characteristic swiftlet build: a slender body, long, scythe-like wings adapted for continuous aerial life, and a moderately forked tail. Th...
Exclusively inhabiting montane forests of Luzon, Philippines, Whitehead's Swiftlet is found at elevations typically between 1,200 and 2,900 meters, frequently utilizing caves for roosting and nesting.
Whitehead's Swiftlet is an obligate aerial insectivore, primarily consuming a wide variety of flying insects caught on the wing high above the forest canopy.
Whitehead's Swiftlet exhibits a highly aerial and colonial lifestyle. These diurnal birds spend most of their active hours continuously foraging for insects in the skies above montane forests. They return to communal roosts and nesting sites within deep caves, navigating the absolute darkness usi...
The Whitehead's Swiftlet is strictly endemic to the island of Luzon in the northern Philippines, where it is a year-round resident. Its distribution is confined to the montane forests of the central and northern parts of the island, typically occurring at elevations ranging from approximately 1,2...
Near Threatened
- Whitehead's Swiftlet is one of the few bird species globally known to use echolocation, emitting high-frequency clicks to navigate in the complete darkness of caves. - Its nests are constructed almost entirely from its own solidified saliva, which hardens into a sturdy cup-like structure attach...