The white-rumped spinetail (Zoonavena sylvatica) belongs to the family of swifts and swiftlets, Apodidae.
These spinetail species are distributed in India, Nepal and Bangladesh. The white-rumped spinetail species are fast flying aerial birds. These spinetail species have weak small legs, useful only for clinging to vertical surfaces. The white-rumped spinetail is a monotypic species.
White-rumped spinetail - Overview
- Scientific name: Zoonavena sylvatica
- Species author: (Tickell, 1846)
- Synonyms/Protonym: Acanthylis sylvatica Tickell, 1846
- Family: Apodidae › Apodiformes › Aves › Chordata › Animalia
- Vernacular names: English: White-rumped spinetail, Chinese: 白腰针尾雨燕, French: Martinet indien, German: Hindusegler, Spanish: Vencejo indio, Russian: Индийский иглохвост, Japanese: インドハリオアマツバメ, Indonesian: Burung Celepuk Asia, Malay: Burung Jampuk Kecil
- Other names: Indian White-rumped Needletail, Indian White-rumped Spinetail, White-rumped Spine-tail Swift
- Distribution: India, Nepal, Bangladesh
- Diet and feeding habits: beetles, moths, crickets, grasshoppers, cicadas, wasps
- IUCN status listing: Least Concern (LC)
Appearance, physical description and identification
The white-rumped spinetail (Zoonavena sylvatica) is a small aerial bird, measuring 11 to 14 cm in length and weighing about 15 grams. |
| Birds of India - Image of White-rumped spinetail - Zoonavena sylvatica |
Origin, geographical range and distribution
These white-rumped spinetail species are distributed in India, Nepal and Bangladesh. It occurs south of Himalayas in Central India, Eastern India, Southwest India and the Western Ghats. The spinetail also occurs in Southeast Bangladesh.Ecosystem and habitat
These white-rumped spinetail species are moderately forest dependent. They inhabit various ecosystems. They inhabit plantations, subtropical forests, tropical forests, tropical moist lowlands, subtropical moist lowlands, tropical and subtropical montane forests and submontane forests. They occur in altitudes from 0 to 1700 meters.Diet and feeding behavior
The diet of these spinetail species is mostly flying insects. Insects like grasshoppers, locusts, cicadas, moths, butterflies, airborne spiders, beetles and wasps are the primary food. They fly in small groups over the forest canopy catching insects. They also prefer hunting their prey in open areas in the forest.Reproduction and breeding habits
The breeding season of these white-rumped spinetail species is from March to April in northern India. The breeding season is from February to May in Western Ghats. The nest is half-cup shaped and is glued to hard vertical surfaces.Migration and movement patterns
These white-rumped spinetail species are sedentary and resident birds in their range.Conservation and survival
The global population size of the white-rumped spinetail (Zoonavena sylvatica) is not quantified. The overall population size of these spinetail species is considered to be stable. Throughout its ranges it is common to uncommon. The generation length is 7.2 years.The white-rumped spinetail (Zoonavena sylvatica) does not approach the thresholds for being Vulnerable either under the range size criterion or under the population trend criterion or under the population size criterion. Habitat loss is the main threat to the survival of these spinetail species.
IUCN and CITES status
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has categorized and evaluated the spinetail species Zoonavena sylvatica and has listed it as of "Least Concern". CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) status is ‘Not Evaluated’ for the white-rumped spinetail (Zoonavena sylvatica).| Taxonomy and scientific classification of Zoonavena sylvatica | |
|---|---|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Apodiformes |
| Family: | Apodidae |
| Subfamily: | - |
| Genus: | Zoonavena |
| Species: | Z. sylvatica |
| Binomial name: | Zoonavena sylvatica |
| IUCN status listing: |  Least Concern |
Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:White-rumped_spinetail_from_Thattekad,_Kerala.jpg
Image author: Kannan AS | License: CC BY-SA 3.0
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