BirdUp · Species
White-throated Needletail
Hirundapus caudacutus(Latham, 1801)
Updated
Also known asMalki-malki
- Order
- APODIFORMES
- Family
- Apodidae
- Genus
- Hirundapus
At a glance
The White-throated Needletail is a medium-sized bird, about 20 cm long, listed as Least Concern and native to Australia. It can be seen year-round.
- Size
- 20 cm
- Conservation status
- Least Concern
- Origin
- Native
- Best seen
- Year-round
- Commonness
- Very common
01 · Identification
How to tell it apart
What does a White-throated Needletail look like?
The White-throated Needletail is a medium-sized bird, about 20 cm long and weighing 101–140 g.
The white-throated needletail, also known as the needle-tailed swift or spine-tailed swift, is a large swift in the genus Hirundapus. It is reputed to reach speeds of up to 170 km/h (110 mph) in horizontal flight, but this is unverified because the methods used to measure its speed have not been published. 75 km/h (47 mph) is more likely, but this is still at least 100 times the bird's length per second.
Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
03 · When
When to look
When can you see a White-throated Needletail?
The White-throated Needletail is present across its Australian range year-round, so it can be seen in any month.
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
04 · Voice
What it sounds like
Call
Rob Gordon · Mount Burr SA 5279, Australia
05 · Behaviour
Habits and haunts
What does a White-throated Needletail eat?
The White-throated Needletail feeds on terrestrial invertebrates, usually foraging in flocks.
06 · Gallery
Plumage up close
6 photos
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