Papuan spine-tailed swift

Papuan spine-tailed swift
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Apodiformes
Family: Apodidae
Genus: Mearnsia
Species: M. novaeguineae
Binomial name
Mearnsia novaeguineae
(D’Albertis & Salvadori, 1879)

The Papuan spine-tailed swift (Mearnsia novaeguineae), also known as the Papuan needletail, New Guinea spine-tailed swift or Papua spinetail, is a small (11.5 cm in length), stocky swift with a short, rounded tail and very fast flight. Head and upperparts glossy blue-black, white or whitish belly and undertail coverts, dark underwing with pale central stripe. The small spines at the end of the tail are not visible in flight.

Distribution

Endemic to New Guinea where it is widespread in the lowlands and hills up to 550 m. It has been recorded from Boigu Island, Queensland, Australian territory in north-western Torres Strait.

Habitat

Forest edges, gardens and cleared areas with standing dead trees.

Food

Flying insects.

Breeding

Nests in a high tree hollows.

Conservation

Common and widespread species assessed as being of Least Concern.

References


This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Sunday, May 18, 2014. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.