What is "collocalia"

Collocalia is a genus of swifts, containing some of the smaller species termed " swiftlets". Formerly a catch-all genus for these, a number of its erstwhile members are now normally (though not by all authors) placed in Aerodramus.

Remaining in Collocalia are:

• Glossy swiftlet, Collocalia esculenta
  • Grey-rumped swiftlet, Collocalia (esculenta) marginata
  • Christmas swiftlet, Collocalia (esculenta) natalis
• Cave swiftlet, Collocalia linchi
• Bornean swiftlet, Collocalia dodgei
• Pygmy swiftlet, Collocalia troglodytes

An Early Miocene fossil swiftlet from the famous Riversleigh deposits of Australia was described as Collocalia buday. This as well as a right ulna ( MNZ S42799) found at the Manuherikia River in Otago, New Zealand and dating from the Early to Middle Miocene ( Awamoan to Lillburnian, 19-16 million years ago) would probably go into Aerodramus too.