Whiskered Treeswift

Whiskered Treeswift
This species is defined as a Review Species . Please submit your records of this species via our record submission page .

Scientific Name: Hemiprocne comata

Malay Name: Layang-layang Berjambul Kecil

Chinese Name: 小须凤头雨燕

Range: Found from Malay Peninsula, Singapore, Sumatra, Borneo to the Philippines.

Taxonomy: Polytypic. Subspecies are: comata, major.

Local Subspecies: comata

Size: 15-16.5 cm

Identification: Resembles Grey-rumped Treeswift but smaller. Body mostly olive-bronze with dark glossy blue crown, nape, upper throat and wings. Long white supercilium and malar streak. Whitish vent. Male has chestnut ear-coverts while female has blackish ear-coverts.

Similar looking species: Grey-rumped Treeswift

Habitat: Forested area.

Behaviour/Ecology: Feed on small insects taken in sallies from a perch.

Local Status: Former resident and very rare visitor

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2016)

Past records in our database:

Showing only accepted records. Note that records currently under review are also not displayed, and the list may not be a full list of records of this species in Singapore. For more details, check the database here.

Female Whiskered Treeswift at Rifle Range Link. Photo credit: Francis Yap
Female Whiskered Treeswift at Rifle Range Link. Photo credit: Francis Yap
Male Whiskered Treeswift at Panti. Photo credit: Francis Yap
Female Whiskered Treeswift at Panti. Photo credit: Francis Yap
Female Whiskered Treeswift at Panti. Photo credit: Alan Ng.
External Links:

Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page

Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link

Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link

eBird Species page: eBird (Whiskered Treeswift)

References:

BirdLife International. (2016). Hemiprocne comata. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22686900A93130401.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023

Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.

RECOMMENDED CITATION

Bird Society of Singapore. (n.d.). Whiskered Treeswift. Retrieved on June 14, 2025 from https://singaporebirds.com/species/whiskered-treeswift.

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