Indian Swiftlet
A species of Echolocating Swiftlets Scientific name : Aerodramus unicolor Genus : Echolocating Swiftlets
Indian Swiftlet, A species of Echolocating Swiftlets
Botanical name: Aerodramus unicolor
Genus: Echolocating Swiftlets
Content
Description
Photo By Arnab Pal 
Description
The Indian swiftlet, or Indian edible-nest swiftlet, (Aerodramus unicolor) is a small swift. It is a common resident colonial breeder in the hills of Sri Lanka and south west India. The half-cup nest is built on a vertical surface, often in a cave. The male swift uses thick saliva to construct the white, shiny nest into which two eggs are laid. The relatively tasteless nests are harvested, and mixed with chicken, spices, and other flavours as bird's nest soup, a supposed aphrodisiac. This 12 cm long species is mainly dark brown above and paler brown below. It has swept-back wings that resemble a crescent or a boomerang. The body is slender, and the tail is short and only slightly indented. Both sexes and young birds are similar. Indian swiftlet has very short legs which it uses only for clinging to vertical surfaces, since swifts never settle voluntarily on the ground. These swifts spend most of their lives in the air, living on the insects they catch in their bills, and they drink on the wing. 
Size
12 cm
Feeding Habits
Indian Swiftlet primarily consumes insects like flies, bugs, beetles, and wasps. They often forage in small groups and are known to feed on prey around lights at night, including feeding their young after dark, indicating a unique nocturnal foraging adaptation.
Habitat
The habitat of indian Swiftlet typically includes areas with rocky hills that provide nesting caves, stretching over diverse landscapes such as scrub lands and dry deciduous forests. This species adapts to both mainland and small rocky offshore island environments within broader tropical and subtropical regions.
Dite type
Insectivorous
Photo By Arnab Pal 
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Birds Order
Swifts and hummingbirds Family
Swifts Genus
Echolocating Swiftlets Species
Indian Swiftlet 
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