Plume-toed Swiftlet

Order - Apodiformes
Family - Apodidae (Swifts)

Plume-toed Swiftlet

Collocalia affinis

毛趾金丝燕 (máo zhǐ jīn sī yàn)

    Malay : Layang-layang Kecil Biasa

    Japanese : ハネアシユビアナツバメ (hane ashiyubi ana-tsubame)
    Kanji 日語漢字 : 羽足指穴燕

    Extent of Occurrence (resident/breeding) : 21,100,000km²
    Migratory Status : Not a Migrant
    Breeding Endemic : No

    Size : 9–10 cm; average 8.3 g (7.11–11.4 g)

    

    Subspecies (5) and Distribution

• Collocalia affinis affinis (Beavan, 1867)
  – Confined to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• Identification :
  – Upperparts blackish uniformly glossed dark greenish blue.
• Collocalia affinis elachyptera (Oberholser, 1906)
  – Endemic to the Mergui Archipelago, off southernmost Myanmar.
• Identification :
  – Similar to Collocalia affinis affinis but the gloss of the upperparts is more greenish. Has a narrow pale fringe to the rump.
• Collocalia affinis cyanoptila (Oberholser, 1906)
  – A widespread subspecies occurring in the Thai-Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Natuna Islands, and Borneo.
• Identification :
  – Slightly larger than Collocalia affinis affinis with mantle uniformly glossed dark greenish blue. Throat and breast less brownish and darker than Collocalia affinis elachyptera.
• Collocalia affinis oberholseri (Stresemann, 1912)
  – Endemic to Batu and Mentawai Islands, off western Sumatra.
• Identification :
  – Gloss and tone of upperparts more greenish and less bluish than in other subspecies.
• Collocalia affinis vanderbilti (Meyer de Schauensee & Ripley, 1940)
  – Only known from Nias Island, off western Sumatra.
• Identification :
  – Closely resembles Collocalia affinis cyanoptila in being glossed deep bluish.

Distribution Map

Collocalia affinis ssp. cyanoptila

Date : 01 March 2018

Location : Gunung Alab Restaurant, KM 55 Penampang-Tambunan Road, Tambunan, 
Bahagian Pedalaman, Sabah