Mottled swift

The mottled swift is a species of bird in the swift family, Apodidae. It is very sparsely distributed in Sub-Saharan Africa, although more so throughout East Africa.

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Distribution

Region

Sub-Saharan and East Africa

Typical Environment

Occurs patchily across montane and escarpment zones from the Ethiopian Highlands through East Africa and parts of Central Africa. Most records are from rugged terrain with cliffs, gorges, and steep valleys, where nesting crevices are available. It forages widely above adjacent savanna, open woodland, and montane forest edges. Local movements follow rainfall and insect abundance, but it is generally a resident within suitable highland regions.

Altitude Range

600–3500 m

Climate Zone

Highland

Characteristics

Size19–22 cm

Wing Span48–56 cm

Male Weight0.08 kg

Female Weight0.08 kg

Life Expectancy10 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 1/5

Useful to know

The mottled swift is a large African swift that spends most of its life on the wing, feeding and even drinking in flight. It nests on cliffs and escarpments, often in small colonies, and is adapted to montane environments. Its underparts show distinctive pale mottling rather than the clean white belly of the Alpine swift, aiding identification at a distance.

Behaviour

Temperament

social and active

Flight Pattern

powerful, fast flight with long glides and short rapid wingbeats

Social Behavior

Often seen in small to medium flocks, especially near cliffs and over ridgelines where insects concentrate. Breeds colonially or in loose aggregations on cliffs, using crevices or ledges for nests made with feathers and plant fragments cemented with saliva. Both adults share incubation and chick rearing.

Migratory Pattern

Resident

Song Description

Gives high, harsh screams and buzzy trills typical of swifts. Vocalizations are most frequent around nesting cliffs and when flocks are actively foraging in turbulent air.

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Identification

Comb Type

Plumage Description

Feather Color

Leg Color

Earlobe Color

Eye Color

Feeding Habits

Diet

Preferred Environment

Requires Supplement

Population

Conservation Status

Species Status

Wild Population

Total Known Population

Mottled wood owl

The mottled wood owl is a species of large owl found in India and Nepal. They are found in gardens and thin deciduous forests adjacent to dry thorn forests or farmland. They are easily detected by their distinctive tremulous, eerie calls at dawn and dusk. The characteristic call is a duet of the male and female, while other notes include a low hoot and a screech. Their large size, lack of "ear" tufts and the concentric barring on the face make them easy to identify.

Mountain blackeye

The mountain blackeye, sometimes referred to as the olive blackeye or simply black-eye, is a species of passerine bird in the family Zosteropidae. It is endemic to the highest mountains on the island of Borneo. It is known from both Malaysian states on the island, and four of the five Indonesian provinces, but has never been recorded in Brunei. Typically found at elevations above 1,800 m (5,900 ft), the mountain blackeye sometimes moves to lower altitudes during periods of drought. There are four subspecies, which show clinal variations in size and coloring. Birds in the north are largest, darkest, and proportionately longer-tailed, while those further south are smaller, paler, and proportionately shorter-tailed. Adults are dark olive-green with a sharply-pointed, bright yellow-orange bill and a small dark mask connecting black lores with a black eye-ring. The subspecies show varying amounts of yellow in their plumage, particularly on the face and underparts. Young birds resemble their parents, but have less brightly colored bills.