Seychelles Swiflet

Swiflets or Zirondel in creole are fast and accurate fliers. They spend most of their lives in the air and feed by catching small flying insects in their mouths as they fly.

The tiny cup-shaped nests made of plants scraps stuck together with saliva are attached to the walls or ceilings of caves. Inside the caves, swiflets find their way using echolocation. You are most likely to see feeding groups of swiflets in the morning or late afternoon or in cloudy weather when they fly closer to the ground. The Seychelles Swiflet does not seem to be in immediate danger of extinction but still, little is known about its habit and where it nests.

Facts

Scientific Name: Aerodramus elaphrus
Population: Between 2500 and 3000 birds
Distribution: Breeds on Mahe, Praslin, La Digue, and sometimes seen on other islands.
Habitat: Forests, Wetlands, gardens, agricultural and urban areas.
Nest: Nest communally in caves, small cup-shaped nests are built of plant matter and saliva. One egg laid.
Identification: A small all-brown bird with long, pointed wings.

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