Madagascar Swift
Apus balstoni
Embed This Widget
Add the script tag and a data attribute to embed this widget.
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/birdfyi-embed@1/dist/embed.min.js" defer></script>
<div data-birdfyi="bird" data-slug="apus-balstoni"></div>Embed via iframe for maximum compatibility.
<iframe src="https://birdfyi.com/iframe/bird/apus-balstoni/" width="420" height="400" frameborder="0" style="border:0;border-radius:10px;max-width:100%" loading="lazy"></iframe>Paste this URL in WordPress, Medium, or any oEmbed-compatible platform.
https://birdfyi.com/bird/apus-balstoni/Add a dynamic SVG badge to your README or docs.
[](https://birdfyi.com/bird/apus-balstoni/)Use the native HTML custom element.
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/birdfyi-embed@1/dist/embed.min.js" defer></script>
<birdfyi-bird slug="apus-balstoni"></birdfyi-bird>Sobre
A medium-sized swift (15-16 cm) found across Madagascar and the Comoro Islands. Dark plumage. Aerial insectivore, foraging over forests and open areas. Closely related to African Swift. Resident population. Limited published ecological data compared to continental relatives.
Physical Description
| Measurement | Value | Imperial |
|---|---|---|
| Envergadura | 32,2 cm | 12.7 in |
| Peso | 46,125 g | 1.63 oz |
Identificação
Plumagem
Dark sooty-brown overall; pale whitish throat patch; underparts slightly paler brown; moderately forked tail; Malagasy endemic; one of the heavier island Apus swifts; closely resembles African Swift but restricted to Madagascar.
Habitat & Range
Distribuição geográfica
Found in Madagascar and the Comoro Islands. Resident in open habitats including savanna, coastal areas, and highland grassland.
Diet & Feeding
Feeds exclusively on aerial plankton — tiny flies, aphids, and spiders — captured in continuous fast flight.
Estado de conservação
Comportamento e reprodução
Tamanho da postura
1-2
Som
Canto
Soft twittering with delicate clicking elements; light, airy notes tumbling quickly in loose sequence near water sources.
Taxonomia
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Ordem | Caprimulgiformes (Nightjars & Swifts) |
| Família | Apodidae (Swifts) |
| Genus | Apus |
| Espécies | Apus balstoni |
Distribution
Madagascar Swift has been recorded in 1 countries.
{# Distribution Map — simplified SVG world map with highlighted countries. Expects `country_codes` variable: list of ISO alpha-2 codes (e.g. ["US", "CA", "MX"]). Uses Alpine.js to toggle classes on country paths. #}countries highlighted
External Databases
Perguntas frequentes
What does the Madagascar Swift eat?
Where does the Madagascar Swift live?
Is the Madagascar Swift endangered?
What does the Madagascar Swift sound like?
How big is the Madagascar Swift?
What order and family does the Madagascar Swift belong to?
Similar Birds
Other species in the Apodidae family