Whiskered Treeswift

This species is defined as a rarity. 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: Very rare non-breeding visitor. Last know sighting was a female bird seen at the Central Catchment Forest on 9 August 2011.

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2016)

Past accepted records in our database:

Past records, bar chart (see more bar charts):

Photos:

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

External Links:
Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page
Photos: Oriental Bird Images
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 19 December 2021

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