Asian Palm Swift

The Asian Palm Swift (Cypsiurus balasiensis) is a small swift the size of a Swallow. It is a common resident in Tiruvannamalai District where there is a profusion of palm trees. 

Bow like wings, with tail held closed

The Palm Swift is only a little less in length than the House Swift, but is really a much smaller bird, being more slender, with a fairly long and well forked tail; in colour it is drab without any conspicuous markings. It has a narrow deeply forked tail and long slender bow-like wings. The tail is usually held closed but the fork is particularly noticeable when the bird wheels or banks in flight. 

Bird of the open skies

These Swifts spend most of the day hawking tiny winged insects in the vicinity of the palms where it roosts. When in the air it turns and twists to the accompaniment of a loud, shrill joyous triple note ti-ti-tee. Asian Palm Swifts often feed near the ground, and drink on the wing. 

Feeds and drinks in the air

This bird of open country and cultivation is associated with the fan or toddy palm as the rigid folds and furrows of the palm leaves provides the bird with suitable roosting and nesting sites. Its nest is a tiny half-saucer of feathers and vegetable down agglutinated with the bird’s saliva, and attached in a fold on the underside of a tad palm leaf. The bird’s saliva is also used to secure the eggs. This species of Swift generally lays 2 or 3, pure white long pointed oval eggs. 

Notice the Swift's sharp right claw

Sexes are similar, and young birds differ mainly with a shorter tails. The Asian Palm Swift has very short legs which it uses only for clinging to vertical surfaces, since swifts never settle voluntarily on the ground. 

Young nestlings in fronds of Palm Leaf

The Swift has only ten tail feathers and its first toe is not directed backwards as in Swallows, instead all its four toes spread out like the finger on a hand, falling into right and left pairs. The Asian Palm Swift does not perch or walk, but can cling and climb well as its claws are very strong and sharp. 

Feeding its young