Mayr's swiftlet is a species of swift in the family Apodidae. It is found in New Ireland and Guadalcanal.
Region
Southwest Pacific (Bismarck Archipelago and Solomon Islands)
Typical Environment
Occurs on islands such as New Ireland and Guadalcanal, where it frequents lowland and hill rainforests, forest edges, and coastal zones. It is commonly seen coursing over rivers, plantations, and villages in search of aerial insects. Breeding typically takes place in limestone caves and occasionally behind waterfalls or sea caves. It often commutes between feeding areas and cave colonies along ridgelines and valleys.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1800 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Mayr's swiftlet is a small, dark swiftlet of the southwest Pacific, known for nesting in caves and using clicking sounds for rudimentary echolocation in darkness. It forages almost constantly on the wing over forests, clearings, and coastlines. Nests are shallow cups built mostly from saliva on cave walls, and colonies can be quite dense. It resembles other uniform swiftlets but lacks a contrasting white rump.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with swift, agile swoops; sustained aerial foraging
Social Behavior
Often forages in loose flocks and forms dense breeding colonies in caves. Pairs are monogamous within a season and typically lay a small clutch, usually one egg. Nest sites are reused across seasons when undisturbed.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Primarily high-pitched twittering and thin chips given in flight. Inside caves, emits audible clicking notes used for simple echolocation to navigate in darkness.
Plumage
Uniform sooty-brown to dark brown with slightly paler underparts and a faint gloss on the upperparts; rump not contrasting.
Diet
Captures small flying insects such as flies, ants, termites, and beetles on the wing. Foraging is continuous and energetic, often at varying heights from canopy level to well above treetops. After rains or during insect emergences, it concentrates where prey is densest, including over rivers and clearings.
Preferred Environment
Feeds over forest edges, open water, coastal areas, and agricultural mosaics near cave roosts. Frequently patrols along ridges and valley corridors where updrafts concentrate insects.
