Brown-backed Needletail

The brown-backed needletail is among the largest swifts in the world. At 23 cm it is bigger than the alpine swift, with a heavy barrel-like body. It is dark brown except for a white undertail that extends onto the flanks. Its name comes from the spined ends of the tail feathers, which are more prominent than in other needletails (Wikipedia, general species account).

It is a resident breeder in hill forests of southern India and Southeast Asia, reaching the Greater Sunda Islands and Palawan. It nests in rock crevices in cliffs, laying three to five eggs, and its flight is very fast even for a swift. Two subspecies are recognised, with the southern Indian form distinguished by white lores. Nationally Near Threatened (Sri Lanka National Red List 2012).