Purple Needletail

This bird lives in various forests and open country. They may found in the lowlands or in hills, from 150-2000 m high in elevation.

The Purple Needletail is classified as Least Concern. Does not qualify for a more at risk category. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category.

The Purple Needletail is the largest swift found in the Old World. This species is distributed from northeastern Sulawesi through the Philippine islands of Luzon, Mindoro, Marinduque, Catanduanes, Calayan, Panay, Negros, Cebu, Leyte, Biliran, Mindanao and Basilan. This bird lives in various forests and open country. They may found in the lowlands or in hills, from 150-2000 m (500-6600 ft) high in elevation. More

Purple Needletail Hirundapus celebensis = Described by: Sclater, P. L. (1865) Alternate common name(s): Celebes Needletail, Celebes Spine-tailed Swift, Sulawesi Spine-tailed Swift Old scientific name(s): Chaetura celebensis Photographs Mambucal, Negros, Philippines - Feb, 2007 More

Purple Needletail Hirundapus celebensis Purple Needletail Photographer : More

* Purple Needletail, Hirundapus celebensis * Genus Chaetura (9 species) Tribe Apodini - typical swifts * Genus Aeronautes * White-throated Swift, Aeronautes saxatalis * White-tipped Swift, Aeronautes montivagus * Andean Swift, Aeronautes andecolus * Genus Tachornis * Tachornis uranoceles (fossil; More

* Purple Needletail, Hirundapus celebensis * Genus Chaetura * Band-rumped Swift, Chaetura spinicauda * Lesser Antillean Swift, Chaetura martinica * Gray-rumped Swift, Chaetura cinereiventris * Pale-rumped Swift, Chaetura egregia * Chimney Swift, Chaetura pelagica * Vaux's Swift, Chaetura vauxi More

Purple Needletail Hirundapus celebensis 2009 IUCN Red List Category (as evaluated by BirdLife International - the official Red List Authority for birds for IUCN): Least Concern Justification This species has a very large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence 30% decline over ten years or three generations). More

Purple Needletail (Hirundapus celebensis), which weighs 184 g (6. The Purple Needletail is the largest Swift found in the Old World. 5 oz) and measures 25 cm (10 inches) long. The nest of many species is glued to a vertical surface with saliva, and the genus Aerodramus use only that substance, which is the basis for bird's nest soup. More

Purple Needletail Hirundapus celebensis Asian Palm-Swift Cypsiurus balasiensis Fork-tailed Swift Apus pacificus House Swift Apus nipalensis More

Purple Needletail Hirundapus celebensis = Mambucal, Negros, Philippines - Feb, 2007 More

Purple Needletail Hirundapus celebensis Band-rumped Swift Chaetura spinicauda Lesser Antillean Swift Chaetura martinica Grey-rumped Swift Chaetura cinereiventris Pale-rumped Swift Chaetura egregia Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica Vaux's Swift Chaetura vauxi Chapman's Swift Chaetura chapmani Short-tailed Swift Chaetura brachyura Ashy-tailed Swift Chaetura andrei White-throated Swift Aeronautes saxatalis White-tipped Swift Aeronautes montivagus Andean Swift Aeronautes andecolus Antillean Palm-Swift Tachornis phoenicobia Pygmy Swift Tachornis furcata More

mountains where Purple Needletails can be observed up close - http://www.pbase.com/liquidstone/morong_0400506 . I made several trips to the same place since, but I didn't have the privilege to see these fast-flying, beautiful birds again. Yesterday's sortie to the nearby Bataan Nuclear Power Plant allowed me another opportunity to check out the place at about the same time of year. This time, I was not disappointed. Together with Neon R. and Lydia R. More