Know swallow

Swallow an insect-eating birds that are aerial and like gliding. This dark-colored birds. Flying faster with body size is. Sickle-shaped wings are narrow and pointed. Swallow very strong wing. Her legs were so small that the birds of this species had never landed on the tree. Beak is very small. Swallow a habit of living in the caves or houses are quite humid, dimly lit until dark. Walet use the ceiling to attach the nest as a place to rest and breed.

Types swallow

There are several types of swallows are known in Indonesia that can produce a nest. However, not all nests produced can be consumed and have benefits. Environmental conditions are suitable, Indonesia has six types of swallows. Some of these types can be distinguished based on body size, voice, hair color, behavior in making a nest, and the materials used in making a nest. Because the swiftlet bird likes to fly in the air, often referred to swallow swallows.

Many people argue, that the bird is a bird Swallow kite. Swallow birds nesting in the home and the nest can be used to incubate the eggs swallow. Initially, these bird species are considered the child of a cow swallow almost the same as passing. Upper body feathers Sriti greenish black, shiny and does not have small hairs on her toes. While the cow swallows, feathers covering her shiny blue-black color and on the toes have little hairs.

All types of swallow has a shape similar body. Rather swallow bird hanging on the rocks with sharp claws and nest in caves or the ceiling. Because of his habit landed on the ceiling, the "catch" for this bird to nest in a house built.

Here are the types of swallows in Indonesia:

• White swallow



White swallow, so called because it produces a white nests. This swiftlet feathers brown with blackish fur bottom or grayish brown. There was a slight gap on the tail. High-pitched voice. Including medium-sized swallow with a body length of about 12 cm. Dark brown eyes, black beak and black legs.




Swallow-wing is more rigid and stronger flying too. If he rarely foraging around in low places. White swallow prefer foraging near tall trees there is lots of small insects. Also frequently seen gliding into the water for bathing and drinking, then flew again.In nature, its nest is located in the crevices of the rock, or limestone caves that are difficult to achieve. Nest is made entirely of saliva, so they're expensive and often find nests pickers. Eggs are white, elongated shape. Usually only a couple of eggs. White swallow nest seasonally, depending on the chosen nesting place.

• Big swallow



This type of black swallow with brown hair dark bottom. His voice was loud and crackled. Is a kind of swallow the big size compared to other swallow species. Body length about 16 cm.




Because the wing and larger body, swallow can fly higher and faster. When flying, he preys on small insects that become food. Prefer big swallow nests in the holes of the stone (a small cave), or in the crevices of rocks near the waterfall. Nest can not be eaten. This bowl-shaped nest, made of a mixture of roots, moss, and the fibers. Compared with other types swallow, swallow's nest of dirty and disorganized including. If the eggs are usually only a grain. Color the egg white, slightly oval shape. In November and December large swiftlet nesting season usually enter.
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• Black nest swiftlet



Swallow coat color is blackish brown with gray-brown tail feathers. This swallow hairy legs evenly. In terms of body size, it includes a medium-sized. Body length about 12 cm. When seen first glance, looks very much like white swallow. Dark brown eyes, black beak and black legs. Unlike other swallow, this kind of squeaky voice. Swallow is also eating small insects that snatched when flying. For the location of the nest, much like the limestone caves. Nest called black nests for the saliva to build a nest mixed with feathers black body. When laying only one. Color the egg white, elongated shape. Wedding season with a white swallow. Like white swallow, black nest swiftlet also easier to be cultivated than other swallow species.

• mountain swiftlet




Black color of this bird, but the color gray tail blackish. Gaps in the tail feathers. Her legs were a little hairy or not hairy at all. His voice was distinctive sound of creaking swallow. Relatively large body size. Body length about 14 cm. These birds fly rapidly clustered near a cliff or a mountaintop. Small insects eat their food when flying. Nests built in crevices of rocks. Usually the nest is built on the former mountain crater. Because made of grass and little or no saliva in nest material, then the mountain swiftlet nests can not be eaten. In the mating season, usually laying two eggs.

• Moss nest swiftlet



This colorful bird feathers blackish brown, but color darker tail. The tail just a little crack. Viewed from afar, looks like a white swallow. High-pitched voice. Medium-sized body. Body length about 12 cm.




Type swallow this little-known people because it is difficult to find. Nest built on parts of the deeper caves and very difficult to achieve. Strong fly far and high. Rarely flew low circles near the surface of the ground. As he flew he live prey small insects. Good nest with a smooth surface and more rounded shape. The moss is used for additional nest so the nest is a nest of moss.

• Swallow cow



This swiftlet feathers bluish black with a shiny color. Feathers dark gray bottom, the little white belly. Is a kind of swallow the smallest size. Body length is only about 10 cm. Dark brown eyes, black beak and black legs. High-pitched voice. Habitat includes all the surface heights, both on an open wooded grasslands or forests.




Swallow if flying in groups, but does not irregular. Swallow does not a strong cow fly away. Normally low-flying spinning only near the surface soil or river for bathing and drinking. When looking for food, often around large trees and lots of high insect, especially small wasps. Irregular-shaped nest, composed of a mixture of moss and grass held together with saliva. In the light of the cave opening, slit the cow swallows the stone can be nested. When the eggs are usually only two eggs. The eggs are white and slightly oval. Swiftlet nest cow does not depend on the season, he can nest throughout the year.

Traits swallow

In its original habitat swiftlet nests found in the caves of the remote. Generally, the cave in the cliffs are steep near the open sea. In the vicinity of the cave is usually surrounded by dense forest. Swallow would have preferred that it had water (rivers or lakes), grasslands, and tall trees and dense. In such areas, many small insects which are swallow food. In Indonesia, there are almost swallow the whole province. Swallow do not like the areas barren. Despite the high flying, swallow does not like areas with an altitude of more than 1,500 m above sea level.
For the location of swiftlet nests are in need of a humid place. Humidity space needed is about 85-95%. Room temperature is suitable for swiftlet between 25-29 0C. Walet wanted a quiet location, safe, and not contaminated by air pollution. Swallow is a bird that lived in groups. Although members of a group can move to other groups, but no swallow a live separate from the others. The number of members of a group of different swiftlet, depending on the size of dwelling. The greater the residence swallow, the greater the members of the group.

In a house or a cave can be inhabited by several groups. Walet group in all activities of life. They include groups for hunting insects along the forest. Leaving the morning and afternoon with back together again. One group will build a swiftlet nests are close to where he lives. Never in a swiftlet house dispute occurred between groups. While living crowded in one place, swiftlet swiftlet not disturb each other.

After a day looking for food, swiftlet home and went to rest in the nest. If you usually swallow flew straight while hunting, then returned home when swallows will fly circles around the house. In the nesting season and lay eggs, swiftlet home faster than a regular day. Swallow is the type of bird cage home properties. Swallow tied to his home and always going back to that place again for a state where appropriate and safe.

Swallow like a dark place. Moreover if the incoming sunlight is very small. This is in accordance with the original habitat in swiftlet caves and dark shade. Unlike other animals, swallow does not have trouble with the darkness around the nest. To overcome this dark situation swallow does not rely on his senses. Swallow using reflected sound system as a measure of distance (ekholokasi). Usually, swallow home after dusk and the circumstances in which they live is very dark moment. To know exactly the position of the nest, they let out a shrill. The sound is reflected back by the wall of the house where they lodged, leading them to find out the location in the room. That is why swallow can enter into a dark cave with no trouble at night. There are also exceptions. Types of large swallow and swallow a cow ekholokasi not use. This situation applies to swallow residing in a well-lit places.

Swiftlet nests are made at night after coming home. Nests were not made in isolation. The two couples swallow, male and female, working together applying saliva to form a nest. In a pair of throat swallow salivary glands that can produce saliva. Works to build a nest continuously every day. The process of forming a nest finished until it takes 40-80 days. When you swallow food of many insects and not laying on the season, the time it takes about 40 days. However, during spawning season, spent his days twice as long as that is up to 80 days.

Outside the spawning season, smaller nest size. Nest less good form and irregular. These nests are made only as a place to rest. In contrast, nests in the spawning season for the larger and better shaped. At this time, the nest is used in addition to rest also to lay eggs and raise children swallow. When the nest was taken on the spawning season, swallows will soon build a new nest again. New nest was made in a faster time than the making of the nest that had been taken. Nest-making should not be successive. Capture successive nests in spawning season would be detrimental. Swiftlet will lose a sense of security. Especially when the people who pick it when swiftlet nests are home and resting or incubating eggs.

In the breeding season, would swallow each other find the way mate romp in the air. This can be done when the swallows hunt insects. Males and females will be chasing each other high flying. The pair quickly formed swallow seeking a suitable place to build nests. After the nest swiftlet mating made jointly formed with the good and big enough. The marriage process can take 5-8 days, after that then the female will soon lay eggs. Swallow normally lay eggs only two. Egg hatch was also carried out together, male and female will take turns incubating the eggs until hatching time.

Child swallows being fed from the food issued from the parent part. These foods can be digested by the baby swallow because previously been crushed by its mother. Within a week, children swallow feathers have started to grow wings. After the wing feathers grow, followed by growth of back hair. Then swallow whole body hair appear. At the age of 45 days after hatching, have strong swallow flying to find food themselves. Like most insectivorous birds, beak triangular swallow.

Swallow food consists of insects become pests common to cultivated plants. Insects swallow foods such as the types of plant hopper, beetles, small grasshoppers, moths, ants, winged, white rice pests, rice straw exploiters, and sundep. Indirectly swallow an enemy of this pest biology that can reduce the cultivation of plants. Thus swallow a boon to agriculture in the surrounding businesses.