Mascarene Swiftlet

Aerodramus francicus

Mascarene Swiftlet (Aerodramus francicus) — Swifts of Oceans & Seabirds.

The Mascarene Swiftlet (Aerodramus francicus) is a member of the Apodidae family found in Oceans & Seabirds. Adults weigh 8.9 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

NT Near Threatened

Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Apodiformes
Family Apodidae Swifts
Genus Aerodramus
Species francicus

Where it lives

Réunion and Mauritius (western, central Mascarenes)

Oceans & Seabirds

Quick facts

Weight: 8.9 g
Diet: Invertebrate-eaters
Family: Apodidae
Order: Apodiformes
Habitat: Woodland

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Mascarene Swiftlet is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Behaviour

A bird of dense forest, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.

Migration

The Mascarene Swiftlet is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Mascarene Swiftlet (Aerodramus francicus) belongs to the Apodidae family of the order Apodiformes. It occurs naturally across Oceans & Seabirds. Its distribution covers IO Réunion and Mauritius (w, c Mascarenes).

It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 8.9 g, with a wing length of about 10.9 cm and a tail of around 4.7 cm.

The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 4,418 km² — a relatively restricted global range.

Songs & calls

Mascarene Swiftlet — Begging call, call, echolocation calls?

Recorded by Cedric Mroczko Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Mascarene Swiftlet?

The Mascarene Swiftlet is a very small bird that weighs around 8.9 g.

Where does the Mascarene Swiftlet live?

The Mascarene Swiftlet is found across Oceans & Seabirds with a range covering IO Réunion and Mauritius (w, c Mascarenes), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.

What family does the Mascarene Swiftlet belong to?

The Mascarene Swiftlet (Aerodramus francicus) belongs to the Apodidae family, in the order Apodiformes.

What does the Mascarene Swiftlet eat?

The Mascarene Swiftlet is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Does the Mascarene Swiftlet migrate?

The Mascarene Swiftlet is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Mascarene Swiftlet endangered?

The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.

What sound does the Mascarene Swiftlet make?

1 real field recording of the Mascarene Swiftlet — including its begging call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Mascarene Swiftlet's range?

The Mascarene Swiftlet has a mapped global range of about 4,418 km².