White-Throated Needletail

Hirundapus caudacutus

White-Throated Needletails are one of the largest Swifts in the world. They have thick bodies that are still very aerodynamic, and long, curved wings. Females and males look alike, with grey bodies and white throats and under-tail areas.

This Swift is remarkable because it has the fastest flapping flight speed of any bird. They can move as fast as 106mph (170km/h)! This amazing speed allows them to quickly hunt air-borne insects, and to travel their long migration routes.

White-Throated Needletails are migratory. They breed in Siberia, China, and Japan during May through September, and then begin to fly south towards Australia for the rest of the year. They often live in massive flocks while in Australia. Some can number in the thousands!

Despite being a common species, not much is known about their breeding patterns, though it is believed that mating takes place in mid-air.

IUCN Status : Least Concern

Location : East Asia and Australia

Size : Body Length around 8in (21cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Apodiformes
Family : Apodidae -- Genus : Hirundapus -- Species : H. caudacutus

Comments

Bornean Orangutan

The Bornean Orangutan is one of two extant Orangutan species in the world. It is the third largest primate (after Gorillas) and is the largest primarily tree-dwelling animal in the world. Males are substantially larger than females, and average at around 165lbs. Bornean Orangutans are largely solitary. A handful might live within a small range but they will seldom interact with one another. Males and females only meet up to breed, which happens only once every several years. A young Orangutan will stay with it's mother for about five years, and the females tend to go about eight years between births. That is the longest interim period of any animal! Sadly, the Bornean Orangutans are in a lot of trouble. They need large forests in order to thrive, and deforestation and habitat degradation has left many homeless. They are also hunted for meat and for traditional medicines. Conservation areas are being established to help these guys in the wild, and it is believed that there are a...

Four!

For anyone who was counting, yesterday was our birthday-- four years! Four years filled with animals from A to Z, more than 1,100 of them! I can't thank my readers enough, it's been wonderful! And in celebration of that milestone... I'm taking a break. Hopefully not forever, but for a little bit at least. In the mean time I plan on getting a new layout out, along with some updates to some of the older articles. I'll post updates here and on the Facebook page, I'm also brainstorming some new animal-related projects, so keep an eye out! Thanks again for four awesome years!

Halloween Crab

Gecarcinus quadratus The Halloween Crab goes by many names, including the Red Land Crab, Whitespot Crab, and Moon Crab. I personally like Halloween Crab though, since it really reflects the interesting colors. They have black carapaces, orange-red legs, and purple claws! Halloween Crabs live in the Pacific coast mangroves and forests of Central and South America. They actually live in the forests as adults, and return to the ocean in order to reproduce. Did you know that they live as far away as 18 miles (30km) from water? Not where you normally think Crabs to be! While living in the forest, the Crabs forage nocturnally for different plant matter, including leaves and sapling. They also dig long burrows into the ground for protection. These burrows can measure nearly 5 ft long! Halloween Crabs are sometimes kept in captivity, and can be very tricky pets due to their excellent climbing skills. IUCN Status : Not Listed ...

Animal A Day!

Search This Blog