Subspecies
Genus often merged into Collocalia. In past, was at various times considered conspecific with many other swiftlet taxa, e.g. Mascarene Swiftlet (Aerodramus francicus) and Indian Swiftlet (Aerodramus unicolor). Subspecies germani sometimes considered a distinct species, often including amechanus. Subspecies dammermani and micans often lumped within nominate, and still very poorly known.
Proposed subspecies bartelsi is synonym of nominate. Subspecies aerophilus of Mossy-nest Swiftlet (Aerodramus salangana) often placed in present species. Subspecies amelis of Uniform Swiftlet (Aerodramus vanikorensis) has been linked with present species in a superspecies. Subspecies perplexus has been associated with amelis.
The following 8 subspecies are recognised:
inexpectatus (Hume, 1873) - Andaman and Nicobar Is.
amechanus (Oberholser, 1912) - Anambas Is (off south-eastern Malay Peninsula). Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Germain's Swiftlet (Collocalia germani).
germani (Oustalet, 1878) - Coastline from western Hainan to Malay Peninsula, including Mergui Archipelago (off southern Myanmar); coastal northern Borneo and southern Philippines (Palawan to Panay). Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Germain's Swiftlet (Collocalia germani).
vestitus (Lesson, R, 1843) - Sumatra, Belitung and Borneo.
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BirdLife International Species Factsheet