Brown-backed Needletail

Scientific Name: Hirundapus giganteus

Malay Name: Layang-layang Besar Biasa

Chinese Name: 褐背针尾雨燕

Range: Found from Indian subcontinent to Southeast Asia

Taxonomy: Polytypic. Subspecies are: indicus, giganteus.

Local Subspecies: giganteus, indicus

Size: 21-24.5 cm

Identification: Migratory subspecies indicus looks bulky and has mostly blackish body, distinctive white lower flanks and vent, brownish saddle on lower mantle and white loral spot. The resident subspecies of Thai-Malay Peninsula giganteus is larger than indicus and lacks the white loral spot.

Similar looking species: Silver-rumped Spinetail, White-throated Needletail, Silver-backed Needletail

Habitat: Forested and open areas.

Behaviour/Ecology: Has fast gliding flight, wings make loud whooshing sound when zooming overhead.

Local Status: Rare migrant and very rare visitor

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2016)

Location: Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (Summit), Jelutong Tower and Chinese Garden.

Featured reports: Nov 2022

Past records in our database:

Showing only accepted records. Records currently under review are also not displayed. For a full list, click here.

Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):

Brown-backed Needletail at Jelutong Tower. Photo credit: Francis Yap
A montage of a single Brown-backed Neeedletail at Bukit Timah summit. Photo Credit: Francis Yap
Brown-backed Neeedletails at Bukit Timah summit. Photo Credit: Francis Yap
Brown-backed Needletail (ssp giganteus) at Jelutong Tower. Photo credits: See Toh Yew Wai
Brown-backed Needletail at Bukit Timah summit. Photo credits: Francis Yap
External Links:

Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page

Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link

Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link

eBird Species page: eBird (Brown-backed Needletail)

References:

BirdLife International. (2016). Hirundapus giganteus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22686687A93122111.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023

Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.

RECOMMENDED CITATION

Singapore Birds Project. (n.d.). Brown-backed Needletail. Retrieved on June 3, 2023 from https://singaporebirds.com/species/brown-backed-needletail.