Indian Swiftlet
Aerodramus unicolor
Silhouette: Aviceda (vectorized by T. Michael Keesey) · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderApodiformes (Swifts and Hummingbirds)
- FamilyApodidae (Swifts)
- GenusAerodramus (Dark Swiftlets)
- SpeciesAerodramus unicolor (Indian Swiftlet)
About the Indian Swiftlet
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 southwest 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. The 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.
Grimmett, Inskipp and Inskipp, Birds of India ISBN 0-691-04910-6 Chantler, Paul and Driessens, Gerald, Swifts ISBN 1-873403-83-6 Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Indian Swiftlet in Minneriya National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Minneriya National Park
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eravikulam National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 2 | Sinharaja Forest Reserve | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | |
| 3 | Mudumalai National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 4 | Horton Plains National Park | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | |
| 5 | Periyar National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 6 | Minneriya National Park | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | |
| 7 | Nagarhole National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 8 | Yala National Park | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | |
| 9 | Wilpattu National Park | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | |
| 10 | Bandipur National Park | 🇮🇳 India |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Indian Swiftlet in Minneriya National Park?
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Indian Swiftlet sighting in Minneriya National Park, based on 34 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Indian Swiftlet in Minneriya National Park?
November has the highest sighting rate for Indian Swiftlet in Minneriya National Park in our monthly data.