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Information About

White-collared Swift




  Name White-collared Swift
  Regnum Animal ia
  Phylum Chordata
  Classis Aves
  Ordo Apodiformes
  Familia Apodidae
  Genus '' Streptoprocne ''
  Species '''''S zonaris'''''
  Binomial ''Streptoprocne zonaris''
  Binomial Authority ( Shaw , 1796 )


The White-collared Swift, ''Streptoprocne zonaris'', is a resident breeding Bird from central Mexico , the Greater Antilles and Trinidad south to Peru , northern Argentina and southeastern Brazil .

This very large Swift builds a saucer nest of mud, moss and Chitin on a ledge in a cave, usually behind a Waterfall , and lays two white eggs between March and July. It breeds in the mountains and foothills, but forages over a much larger area, including lowlands.

White-collared Swift is a massive and powerful species, 20-22 cm long, and weighing 90-96 g. It has a very slightly forked tail, which often appears square. The adults are black, glossed blue on the back, and have a white collar, broader and duller on the breast than the hindneck. Young birds are duller than adults, and the collar is reduced or absent. This noisy swift has a screeching ''chee-yar!'' call, which may be given in chorus by a flock

This is a highly gregarious species, with flocks of 100 or more birds, and often in company with other swift species. It has a powerful, fast and direct flight, and will ascent thermals to great heights.

White-collared Swift feeds in flight on flying Insect s, including Beetle s, Bee s and flying Ant s.


REFERENCES

  • Chantler and Driessens, ''Swifts'' ISBN 1-873403-83-6

  • ffrench, ''Birds of Trinidad and Tobago'' ISBN 0-7136-6759-1

  • Hilty, '' Birds of Venezuela'', ISBN 0-7136-6418-5

  • Stiles and Skutch, ''A guide to the birds of Costa Rica'' ISBN 0-0814-9600-4



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