House Swift

The house swift is a small bird but a medium-sized swift, with a body length of 14–16 cm and a weight of about 20–35 g. It has a dark, slightly forked tail and black plumage, darker than the little swift's, apart from a white rump band and white throat patch. It is found in Japan, Nepal and Southeast Asia, and has been recorded in northern Australia and India, indicating some movement in winter (Wikipedia, general species account).

It is highly aerial and spends much of its time feeding in the air. It nests either in cliffs or in urban areas, where it prefers the underside of roof overhangs or tunnels, building a nest of leaves, branches and feathers stuck together with saliva. Its first egg-laying period takes three weeks, and a second clutch hatches a few weeks after the first brood has flown.