Swiftlet
The birds called Swiftlets or Cave Swiftlets are contained within the genus Aerodramus (formerly Collocalia) and it contains around thirty species mostly confined to southern Asia and south Pacific islands and north eastern Australia all within the tropical and subtropical regions. They are in many respects typical members of the Apodidae having narrow wings for fast flight, with a wide gape and small reduced beak surrounded by bristles for catching insects in flight. What distinguishes many (but not all species) from other Swifts and indeed almost all other birds (see Oilbird) is their ability to use a simple but effective form of echolocation to navigate in total darkness through the chasms and shafts of the caves they utilise for night time roosting.
Below is a list of species in the genus
- Atiu Swiftlet, Aerodramus sawtelli
- Australian Swiftlet, Aerodramus terraereginae
- Bare-legged Swiftlet, Aerodramus nuditarsus
- Black-nest Swiftlet, Aerodramus maximus
- Caroline Islands Swiftlet, Aerodramus inquietus
- Cave Swiftlet, Aerodramus linchi
- Edible-nest Swiftlet , Aerodramus fuciphagus
- German's Swiftlet, Aerodramus germani
- Glossy Swiftlet, Aerodramus esculenta
- Guam Swiftlet, Aerodramus bartschi
- Himalayan Swiftlet, Aerodramus brevirostris
- Indian Swiftlet, Aerodramus unicolor
- Indochinese Swiftlet, Aerodramus rogersi
- Marquesan Swiftlet, Aerodramus ocistus
- Mascarene Swiftlet, Aerodramus francicus
- Mayr's Swiftlet, Aerodramus orientalis
- Moluccan Swiftlet, Aerodramus infuscatus
- Mossy-nest Swiftlet, Aerodramus salangana
- Mountain Swiftlet, Aerodramus hirundinaceus
- Palau Swiftlet, Aerodramus pelewensis
- Palawan Swiftlet, Aerodramus palawanensis
- Papuan Swiftlet, Aerodramus papuensis
- Philippine Swiftlet, Aerodramus mearnsi
- Polynesian Swiftlet, Aerodramus leucophaeus
- Pygmy Swiftlet, Aerodramus troglodytes
- Scarce Swift, Schoutedenapus myoptilus
- Seychelles Swiftlet, Aerodramus elaphrus
- Uniform Swiftlet, Aerodramus vanikorensis
- Volcano Swiftlet, Aerodramus vulcanorum
- Whitehead's Swiftlet, Aerodramus whiteheadi
- White-rumped Swiftlet, Aerodramus spodiopygius
