Whiskered Treeswift Hemiprocne comata Scientific name definitions

15–17 cm; two males 21–21·7 g, two females 20·2–26 g (major) (1 Rand, A. L., and D. S. Rabor (1960). Birds of the Philippine Islands: Siquijor, Mount Malindang, Bohol, and Samar. Fieldiana Zoology 35(7):221–441. Close ). Only slightly crested. Widely sympatric with H. longipennis, but latter lacks distinctive facial stripes, extensive white tertial patches and bronzy tone to upperparts of present species (2 Chantler, P., and G. Driessens (2000). Swifts: A Guide to the Swifts and Treeswifts of the World. 2nd edition. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ). Male mostly dark bronze, with bold supercilium from forehead and lores to hind-nape and a more or less parallel stripe from chin back to side of neck, both sharply white against otherwise glossy black head and throat ; lower ear-coverts dark chestnut. Female similar, but ear-coverts deep blue-green. Juvenile finely barred brown, tawny, grey and white, much as congeners; whitish facial stripes shorter than in adult; first-winter presumably similar to those of congenerics, in having mix of adult (body) and retained juvenile (wing and tail) feathers (2 Chantler, P., and G. Driessens (2000). Swifts: A Guide to the Swifts and Treeswifts of the World. 2nd edition. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ). Race major has more white on abdomen and tertials, broader, blunter, more juvenile-like tail-streamers, and proportionately shallower tail-fork; also averages larger (wing 123–146·5 mm) (2 Chantler, P., and G. Driessens (2000). Swifts: A Guide to the Swifts and Treeswifts of the World. 2nd edition. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ), but Sumatran (wing 116–130 mm) (2 Chantler, P., and G. Driessens (2000). Swifts: A Guide to the Swifts and Treeswifts of the World. 2nd edition. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ) and Malay Peninsula (wing 118–133 mm) (2 Chantler, P., and G. Driessens (2000). Swifts: A Guide to the Swifts and Treeswifts of the World. 2nd edition. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ) birds both increase in size clinally northwards, giving much overlap between races.

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Small cover breaks and the main canopy of evergreen forest inland, and locally also of tall, mature mangroves. In primary forest, often found close to rivers (2 Chantler, P., and G. Driessens (2000). Swifts: A Guide to the Swifts and Treeswifts of the World. 2nd edition. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ). From plains level up to 1000–1100 m on major slopes, e.g. on Sumatra and in Philippines (2 Chantler, P., and G. Driessens (2000). Swifts: A Guide to the Swifts and Treeswifts of the World. 2nd edition. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ), but not above 800 m in N Malay Peninsula.

Sedentary; breeding pairs are believed to remain in their nesting territory throughout the year.

Small flying arthropods, but diet not analysed. Compared with typical behaviour of co-occurring H. longipennis, forages from perches further down the canopy profile, taking prey in much shorter sorties (typically of less than one minute) (3 Wells, D. R. (1999). The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula. Volume 1. Non-passerines. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ) close to vegetation surface, occasionally hovering momentarily (3 Wells, D. R. (1999). The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula. Volume 1. Non-passerines. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ); never above main canopy height. Perhaps less gregarious than other Hemiprocne spp., being usually seen alone or in pairs, occasionally in small groups of up to six birds (2 Chantler, P., and G. Driessens (2000). Swifts: A Guide to the Swifts and Treeswifts of the World. 2nd edition. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ) (probably family parties) (3 Wells, D. R. (1999). The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula. Volume 1. Non-passerines. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ), and occasionally permits H. longipennis to “share” same feeding areas (4 Duckworth, J. W., R. J. Wilkinson, R. J. Tizard, R. N. Kelsh, S. A. Irvin, M. I. Evans, and T. D. Orrell (1996). Bird records from Similajau National Park, Sarawak. Forktail 12:159–196. Close ).

Vocalizations not unlike those of H. longipennis, but shrill chatters are less piercing, noisy and rather higher-pitched, rendered “she-she-she-she-SHOO-she”, becoming highest-pitched over final two notes (2 Chantler, P., and G. Driessens (2000). Swifts: A Guide to the Swifts and Treeswifts of the World. 2nd edition. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ); also high-pitched “kweeo” (3 Wells, D. R. (1999). The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula. Volume 1. Non-passerines. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ), a “squeawk” or European Greenfinch (Chloris chloris)-like “chew” when perched (2 Chantler, P., and G. Driessens (2000). Swifts: A Guide to the Swifts and Treeswifts of the World. 2nd edition. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ).

Over most of range lays Feb–Aug (latest fledglings in early Oct); the few Philippine records, dated only May. Nesting dispersed and breeding pairs territorial. Nest a half-saucer of hardened saliva incorporating feathers, but no published confirmation of vegetable matter included, constructed by both sexes (3 Wells, D. R. (1999). The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula. Volume 1. Non-passerines. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ); built 8–40 m up as a bracket or on upper surface of a thin, exposed branch; construction continues after laying. Lays one white egg (3 Wells, D. R. (1999). The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula. Volume 1. Non-passerines. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ); both pair-members incubate (though female perhaps takes greater share) (3 Wells, D. R. (1999). The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula. Volume 1. Non-passerines. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ) and tend the chick; natal down colour not described; in one instance, an egg hatched on or before day 21 and the chick flew soon after day 28, giving total development time of probably not less than 50 days; fledged juvenile may continue to be fed for up to three weeks after leaving nest (3 Wells, D. R. (1999). The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula. Volume 1. Non-passerines. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ).

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Reported as common in most parts of range; very few recent records from Singapore. More local in Philippines (2 Chantler, P., and G. Driessens (2000). Swifts: A Guide to the Swifts and Treeswifts of the World. 2nd edition. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ), though observed at most forest sites surveyed on Mindoro in 1991 (5 Dutson, G. C. L., T. D. Evans, T. M. Brooks, D. C. Asane, R. J. Timmins, and A. Toledo (1992). Conservation status of birds on Mindoro, Philippines. Bird Conservation International 2(4):303–325. Close ). Tied more exclusively to original forest, hence at greater risk of outright habitat loss, than others of genus. Exceptional in secondary growth, but able to exploit edge created by selective logging.