Malagasy Palm Swift
Cypsiurus gracilis
A very slender gray-brown swift with a long, deeply forked tail that is often held closed, making it look needle-like and pointed. The erratic flight pattern, with frequent direction changes and rapid wingbeats on long, scythe-shaped wings, is distinctive. Less gregarious than other swifts; usually found in pairs or small flocks, and association with other swallows and swifts is usually only fleeting. Forages over a wide variety of habitats with palms, including savanna, coastal scrub, towns, villages, cultivated areas, forest edge, and clearings, from sea level up to 1100 meters of elevation, preferring lowlands. Nests and roosts in palms, especially Hyphaene, Bismarckia, and coconut palms. Gives a high-pitched, metallic “tre-tit-tit-tit-tit-tit-tit-tit” call, solitarily or in unison with others. Separated from other swifts by its longer and thinner tail. Further separated from the larger Madagascar Swift by its much weaker and more fluttering flight.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Cypsiurus gracilis
- Authority
- (Sharpe, 1871)
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Family
- Apodidae
- Genus
- Cypsiurus
Range and habitat
The Malagasy palm swift is native to Madagascar and Comoros.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Other Birds
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Agelaius humeralis
A gregarious species that uses a wide variety of habitats. It is colored black overall except for a yellow-orange shoulder patch, which is usually visible when perched, but should always be apparent in flight. The very similar male Red-shouldered Blackbird can be told by its redder shoulder. The female Red-shouldered Blackbird lacks color on the shoulder and thus can look nearly identical to a Tawny-shouldered Blackbird when its shoulder patch is hidden; sometimes, identification of females can only be made in flight. The Shiny Cowbird lacks a shoulder patch, is quite glossy, and has a shorter and stouter bill than the Tawny-shouldered Blackbird. Vocalizations include a rough “chet,” a sharp musical “chee,” and a metallic upslurred “willeee.”
Rusty-crowned Babbler
Sterrhoptilus capitalis
A fairly small bird of lowland and foothill forest and edge, with a rufous crown and a gray back and cheek, all with whitish streaks. Also has dark wings and tail with white outer tail feathers, and off-white underparts blending to a pale orange throat. Note the slender black bill. Often joins mixed-species flocks and sometimes hangs upside down while feeding. Somewhat similar to Brown Tit-Babbler, but slightly larger, with a rufous crown and a white belly. Flocks give a jumble of squeaky chattering notes.
Short-tailed Akalat
Sheppardia poensis
Small, fairly plain, brown-and-orange robin-like bird. The tail is uniformly rufous-brown and the face is mostly orange, with a blackish or olive-brown cap. Found in the understory of forest at middle and high elevations. Shy and inconspicuous. The song is a quiet series of several mournful low-pitched whistles. Very similar to Lowland Akalat, but has orange extending further onto the face, more white on the belly, and is found at higher elevations. Also similar to White-bellied and Gray-winged Robin-Chats, but separated from the former by uniform tail, and from the latter by the lack of a strong white eyebrow.
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