Treeswift

Treeswifts are a family of four swift-like bird species found in South and Southeast Asia. They are distinguished by crests and long, forked tails.

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Hemiprocnidae: Hemiprocnidae is the bird family containing all four treeswift species. This is the family name used in scientific classification for treeswifts.
Crested treeswift: The crested treeswift is a large treeswift found in South and Southeast Asia. It is the family’s best-known widespread species and displays the characteristic crest.
Aerial insectivore: An aerial insectivore is an animal that catches insects while flying. Treeswifts feed in flight, placing them within this ecological guild.
Hummingbirds: Hummingbirds are small nectar-feeding birds in the family Trochilidae, native to the Americas. They belong to the same order as treeswifts but evolved a very different feeding niche.
Apodiformes: Apodiformes is the bird order that includes swifts, treeswifts, and hummingbirds. Treeswifts belong to this broader order, despite their distinctive perching habits.
Whiskered treeswift: The whiskered treeswift is a Southeast Asian species of treeswift with distinctive facial markings. Its name highlights the fine facial feathers that distinguish it from its relatives.
Hawking (feeding behavior): Hawking is the capture of flying insects during short or sustained flights from a perch. Treeswifts use aerial pursuit to take insect prey.
Needletail: Needletails are swift species with stiff, projecting tail shafts that aid identification. They are swift relatives that can be confused with treeswifts in flight.
Swifts: Swifts are fast-flying birds in the family Apodidae, adapted to spend much of their lives in the air. Their resemblance to swifts gives treeswifts their common name, though they form a separate family.
Moustached treeswift: The moustached treeswift is a species of treeswift found in parts of Southeast Asia. It provides another example of the family’s distinctive facial plumage.