From Opus

A male bird
Photo by Andrew S.
Yala, Sri Lanka, November 2003

Hemiprocne coronata

[edit] Identification

A quite big (24cm) swift-like bird.

• Grey body, greenish wings
• Grey crest on forehead
• Very long wings which cross over back when perching
• Whitish eyebrow
• Male with red cheeks, female with dark grey cheeks, outlined with white
• Perches upright (like a Swallow, unlike other Swifts)

[edit] Distribution

Southeast Asia. Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, southern China, Thailand, Cambodia and southern Vietnam.

Over most of its range only patchily distributed and local but relatively common. Not globally threatened.

[edit] Taxonomy

Forms a superspecies with Grey-rumped Treeswift Hemiprocne longipennis and is sometimes considered conspecific.

Monotypic.

Photo by Steve G
Yala National Park, Sri Lanka, July 2007

[edit] Habitat

Areas with scattered trees, groves, edges of forest or plantations (eg teak), sometimes semi-evergreen forest.

[edit] Behaviour

Usually found in pairs or small flocks.

[edit] Diet

Feeds on insects, catched in flight. Perches high on trees.

[edit] Breeding

Breeding season differs through range, January to April in India, March to September in Sri Lanka, March to June in Myanmar. Tiny nest on a tree limb with one egg, glued to nest.

Resident, some local movement (eg in the Himalayas) possible.

[edit] External Links

• View more images of this species on Orientalbirdimages