- Phedina borbonica
Identification
15 cm (6 in)
- Greyish-brown crown and upperparts, with fine dark streaks
- Dark brown wings and tail
- Pale edges to tertials
- Tail only has a shallow fork
Distribution
[[Image:Swallow1a1.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo © by ammadoux
Near Chamarel, [[Mauritius Island], 27 June 2019]]
Eastern Africa: found in Tanzania, Mozambique, Malawi
African Islands: Madagascar, Mauritius Island, Reunion Island
Taxonomy
Subspecies
There are 2 subspecies[1]:
- P. b. borbonica:
- Mauritius Island and Reunion Island (western Mascarene Islands)
- P. b. madagascariensis:
- Madagascar and Pemba Island; wanders to eastern Africa
Habitat
They like fairly open habitat and feed over reservoirs, woodland and thickets.
Behaviour
Diet
Their diet consists mostly of beetles, wasps, bees, and ants.
Breeding
Their nest is an open cup constructed from twigs.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2018. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2018. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Avibase
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved July 2019)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2023) Mascarene Martin. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 30 November 2023 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Mascarene_Martin
