White-throated Needletail

Hirundapus caudacutus (Latham, 1801) (2, 9)

Photo © By Masami Kuroda - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=59021670

STATUS

Central and Eastern Palearctic. Polytypic.

OVERVIEW

Formerly known as Needle-tailed Swift.

Late May and anytime in June is the arrival time here of this aerial torpedo from the far east. The latest record, however, came during mid-October.

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RECORDS

1). 1846 Essex Great Horkesley, 6th to 8th July when shot, now at Chelmsford Museum (Acc. No. D7003).

(E. Newman, Zoologist 1846: 1492-1496; E. Newman, Zoologist 1863: 8329; Newman, 1866; J. E. Harting, Field 21st Oct., 1871: 340; BOU, 1883; D. Seth-Smith, Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 39: 90; Witherby, 1920-24; H. F. Witherby, British Birds 22: 46-47; Glegg, 1929; Hudson & Pyman, 1968; Cox, 1984; Wood, 2007).

2). 1879 Hampshire Near Ringwood, shot, 26th or 27th July.

(Anon., Proceedings of the Zoological Society 1880: 1-2; G. B. Corbin, Zoologist 1880: 81-85; Eds., Field 10th Jan., 1880: 78; BOU, 1883; Kelsall & Munn, 1905; Witherby, 1920-24).

3). 1983 Orkney South Ronaldsay, 11th to 12th June.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 77: 539; E. R. Meek, Scottish Bird Report 1984: 50; J. Muir, Orkney Bird Report 1984: 63; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 107: 610).

4). 1984 Shetland Hillwell/Quendale area, Mainland, 25th May to 6th June, photo.

(British Birds 77: plates 158-159; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 78: 562, plates 270-273; A. Hogg, Scottish Bird Report 1984: 35; Birding World 6 (4): 152, photo; Shetland Bird Report 1991: photo; Forrester & Andrews et al., 2007: photo).

5). 1985 Yorkshire Fairburn Ings, 27th May.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 79: 559).

6). 1988 Orkney Hoy, 28th May to 8th June, photo.

(Birding World 1 (6): 186, photo; R. Millington, Birding World 1 (6): 200-202, photos; British Birds 81: plates 263-264; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 82: 534; Forrester & Andrews et al., 2007: photo; British Birds 102: plate 266).

7.0). 1991 Kent Wierton Hill Reservoir, Maidstone, 26th May, photo; also in Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Shetland.

(Birding World 4 (5): 153, photos; British Birds 84: plate 305; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 85: 532; D. W. Taylor, Kent Bird Report 1991: 92, plate 1).

7.1). 1991 Staffordshire Blithfield Reservoir, 1st June; presumed same as Kent.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 85: 533).

7.2). 1991 Derbyshire Near Belper, 3rd June; presumed same as Kent.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 89: 509; S. Thorpe, Derbyshire Bird Report 1995: 119-121).

7.3). 1991 Shetland Noup of Noss, Noss, 11th and 14th June; presumed same as Kent.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 85: 532).

8). 2013 Outer Hebrides Loch Direcleit, Tarbert and Loch Drinisadair, Harris, first-summer male, 24th to 26th June, later found dead, photo, now at National Museums Scotland.

(British Birds 106: plates 262, 300 & 301; A. Gretton, Scottish Birds 33: 267-272, plates 225-234; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 107: 610, plate 301; British Birds 112: plate 302).

9). 2017 Outer Hebrides Glen, Barra, 2CY+, 22nd June, photo.

(B. Taylor, Scottish Birds 37: 366-368, plates 312 & 313 a-d; C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 111: 587, plate 379).

10). 2022 At sea Sea area Fair Isle, picked up, on board MV Ortelius 120 km E of Duncansby Head, Caithness, 4th June, photo, later released, photo.

(L. Bacon, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 117: 680).

11.0). 2025 Yorkshire Tophill Low Reservoir then Bempton Cliffs, juvenile, 8th October, photo, video; presumed same, Filey Brigg, juvenile, 9th October; same, Castle Hill, Scarborough, 10th October; same, Long Nab, Burniston, 10th October; also seen Highland, North-east Scotland, Northumberland..

(birding information services).

11.1). 2025 North-east Scotland Loch of Skene, juvenile, 9th October; same as Yorkshire; also seen Highland.

(H. Addlesee & F. Todd, Scottish Birds 46: 183-186; P. R. French, A. Holden and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 119: 575).

11.2) 2025 Northumberland Whitley Bay, 1CY, 11th October; same as Yorkshire; also seen Highland, North-east Scotland.

(P. R. French, A. Holden and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 119: 575).

11.3). 2025 Highland Brora, Sutherland, 13th October; presumed same, Helmsdale, 14th October; presumed same as Yorkshire, North-east Scotland.

(H. Addlesee & F. Todd, Scottish Birds 46: 183-186; P. R. French, A. Holden and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 119: 575).