Hirundapus giganteus
The Brown-backed Needletail (Hirundapus giganteus) is an awe-inspiring aerial master, counted among the largest and fastest members of the swift family (Apodidae), with close taxonomic ties to other *Hirundapus* species like the White-throated Needletail. This magnificent swift typically measures 23-25 cm in length, boasts a formidable wingspan of 50-55 cm, and weighs between 100-170 grams. Its plumage is characterized by dark sooty-brown upperparts and a uniform brown back, which contrasts w...
Inhabits lowland to submontane evergreen and deciduous forests, often favoring areas adjacent to clearings, rivers, or open country for optimal aerial foraging, typically found up to 1,800 meters in elevation, occasionally higher.
Primarily an aerial insectivore, consuming a wide variety of flying insects including beetles, flies, moths, bees, and ants, captured almost exclusively on the wing at high speeds.
Brown-backed Needletails are intensely active diurnal birds, spending nearly their entire day on the wing, foraging and socializing; they primarily roost communally in large tree hollows, deep rock crevices, or caves at night. Their foraging strategy involves incredibly agile, high-speed aerial p...
The Brown-backed Needletail boasts a broad distribution across South and Southeast Asia, with its breeding range extending from the foothills of the Himalayas in Nepal, Bhutan, and Northeast India, south through peninsular India and Sri Lanka. Further eastward, it breeds and resides year-round th...
Least Concern
- The Brown-backed Needletail is among the fastest birds in level flight, capable of astonishing speeds during its pursuit of aerial insects. - It is one of the largest swift species in the world, often appearing much larger than other swifts within its range. - Its common name "Needletail" origi...