Memorandum to: The Director of Birds Australia

From: Birds Australia Rarities Committee (BARC)

Date: 21st February 2007

Voting Members: Danny Rogers Mike Carter

Niven McCrie John Hatch

Tony Palliser Andrew Silcocks

Glenn Holmes Rohan Clarke

cc. David Stewart

Submission No. 498: Uniform Swiftlet Aerodramus vanikorensis. Lockhart River, QLD. 21st September 2001.

Verdict: Not Accepted

This submission relates to the possible sighting of at least eight Uniform Swiftlet Aerodramus vanikorensis at Lockhart River, Far North QLD on the 21^st September 2001. The birds were seen hawking above trees tops along the road to Portland Roads.

The observer immediately noticed that these swiftlets were entirely blackish without the white or whitish rumps normally associated with White-rumped Swiftlet A. hirundinacea. Additionally the wing-shape differed in that the wings were not backswept. The flight mannerism appeared slower and more languid and the tail shorter and notched.

Most members agreed with the observer that Uniform Swiftlet is the most likely candidate given the fact that the birds were entirely dark. But unfortunately without a bird in the hand or other supportive evidence there is no way of eliminating very similar species that occur nearby in New Guinea such as Mountain Swiftet A.spodiopygius. Recent sightings in WA and NSW confirm that swiftlets can move vast distances, consequently a number of species could potentially ocurr.

To date no records of this species have been accepted by BARC.

References and Bibliography:

· Chantler, P. & Driessens, G., (1995), Swifts; A Guide to the Swifts & Treeswifts of the World. Pica, E. Sussex.

· Cramp, S. (Ed.) (1985), Handbook of the Birds of Europe, the Middle East & North Africa, Vol. 4. Oxford, Oxford.

· Sibley, C.G. & Munroe, B.L., Jr. 1990. Distribution and Taxonomy of Birds of the World. Yale University Press, New Haven.