Cypsiurus
| Cypsiurus | ||||||||||
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Palm Swift ( Cypsiurus parvus ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||
| Cypsiurus | ||||||||||
| Lesson , 1843 |
Cypsiurus is a genus of birdsinthe sailor family (Apodidae). The two closely related species of the genus occupy very similar ecological niches . One of the species, the palm swift , has an extensive range in sub- Saharan Africa . The other, the Bengal Swift , occurs in Asia from the Indian subcontinent eastward to the Great Sunda Islands and the Philippines .
features
The body length of the palm swift is 16 centimeters, with up to 9 centimeters on the tail. The smaller species, the Bengal Swift, has a body length of 13 centimeters and also a comparatively long tail. The shape of both species looks sleek, as the wings are very long and narrow and the long tail is forked deep. The outer control feathers of the Palm Swift are clearly notched and appear streamlined when the tail is fanned out. The plumage is predominantly brown-gray and extremely poor in contrast. On the surface, the body shape is reminiscent of the genus Apus . A good distinguishing feature is the paler, low-contrast plumage of the Cypsiurus species, they also show an affinity for palm trees , and the flight is more unsteady.
Systematics
The two species of the genus form the superspecies parvus , they were occasionally viewed as conspecific , but RK Brooke noted in 1972 differences in youth dress and in the shape of the tail, which justify the consideration as separate species. Also Brooke was contemplating on Madagascar occurring subspecies of the African Palm Swift ( C. parvus gracilis ) to be regarded as the third species of the genus, which has not yet been precisely verified or validated.
The following species are included in the genus:
- Palm Swift ( Cypsiurus parvus )
- Bengal Swift ( Cypsiurus balasiensis )
literature
- Phil Chantler, Gerald Driessens: A Guide to the Swifts and Tree Swifts of the World. Pica Press, Mountfield 2000, ISBN 1-873403-83-6
Individual evidence
- ↑ This and all information not specially marked are taken from the following source: A Guide to the Swifts and Tree Swifts of the World . Page 209, see literature
- ↑ Chantler, Driessens: A Guide to the Swifts and Tree Swifts of the World . Page 25, see literature
