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Swallows, Swifts do not close their wings at the side with every stroke.
They only whip the air rapidly with the points of their wings which are
always extended and curved evenly over the whole length like a bow. The
nests are built of feathers, fibres, moss and even pure saliva and are
attached to vertical surfaces of walls, cliffs, hollow trees and rock ledges.
The young are hatched naked and remain in the nest for exceptionally long
periods, sometimes up to six weeks. Of the 14 species recorded in India,
six are found in Maharashtra.
Subfamily Apodinae: Birds of this family have very highly developed
salivary glands which become particularly active during the breeding
season. In one group of Swiftlets, (Collocalia) the saliva is used as
material for nest construction and it is from this that bird-nest soup is
made. In Maharashtra the Malayasian Edible Swift nest Swiftlet
(Collocalia fuciphaga) breeds at Vengurla and Malvan in the Ratnagiri
District.
The Alpine Swift (Apus melba) is one of the fastest birds and reaches
a speed of about 150 miles per hour. It is a brown bird with white
underparts and is occasionally seen in hilly areas.
The large White-rumped Swift (Apus pacificus) is a migratory species
with a deeply forked tail. The House Swift(Apus affinis) is found near
human habitations and is common everywhere in Maharashtra.
The Palm Swift (Cypsiurus parvus) builds its nest on the underside of
a palm fronds usually Palmyra Palm. It is one of the smallest birds of the
Swift family.
Subfamily Hemiprocninae: The Crested or Tree Swift (Hemiprocne
longipennis) is the only member of the Apopidae which is able to perch on
a tree as the toes are suitably formed for this purpose. The nest is made
along a horizontal branch of a tree.
(16) Order Trogoniformes.—The family Trogonidae consists of 34
species of gorgeously coloured birds. Trogons are unique in that their
inner toe is also turned backward. They are primarily forest dwelling birds.
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