White-throated Swift

White-breasted sailor

The White-breasted sailor ( Aeronautes saxatalis ) is a medium- sized species of the bird family of sailors ( Apodidae ).

Description

The 15 to 18 -centimeter bird has a dark brown back feathers, which goes towards the end in white. The belly, the beak and tail are black. The neck and the lower part of the head are kept completely white.

Dissemination and lifestyle

The species inhabits the rocky regions of the island and the sea coasts of North and Central America from Canada to El Salvador and Honduras. The birds in the northern distribution areas migrate in the winter to the south. In flight it catches insects such as beetles, bees, He is one of the fastest birds in North America.

Brood

During the breeding season in May, the birds found in small colonies on jagged rocks. There build the White-breasted sailor shallow, cup-shaped nests, which are made of feathers and grasses. In it, the female lays 4-8 white colored eggs. The hatching and the care of the boys take on both parents.

Subspecies

In addition to the nominate Aeronautes saxatalis saxatalis ( Woodhouse, 1853), which occurs from the southwest of Canada to the west of Mexico, another subspecies is recognized. The range of the subspecies Aeronautes saxatalis nigrior ( Dickey and van Rossem, 1928) extends from southern Mexico to the central Honduras.

Occasionally you can find with Aeronautes saxatalis sclateri ( Rogers, 1939) in the literature, a further subspecies. Later studies by William Harroun Behle in 1973 showed, however, that this is a synonym of the nominate.

Endangering

The IUCN lists this species as Near Threatened (Least Concern ).