Prakruti Parichay
ApodidaeTachymarptis

Alpine Swift

Tachymarptis melba'

22–22 cmMedium
Beak
—
Feet
—
Crest
No crest

Resident? Locally in subcontinent. Larger and more powerful than Apus swifts, with deeper and slower wing-beats. Best told by white throat with brown breast-band, and white breast and belly contrasting with brown underwing, flanks and vent. Birds breeding in the Himalayas have mid-brown upperparts and wings, paler brown than Common Swift. Birds in Western Ghats and Sri Lanka are smaller and darker with broader breast band. Usually keeps in scattered flocks. Roots in clefts in rock faces. Skims over hills and mountains with cli ffs or old forts; may occur briefly over any habitat

Colour

BrownWhite
Average size
22 cm
Habitat
Skims over hills and mountains with cli ffs or old forts, may occur briefly over any habitat
Behaviour
Resident?, Usually keeps in scattered flocks. Roots in clefts in rock faces.

About this bird

Resident? Locally in subcontinent. Larger and more powerful than Apus swifts, with deeper and slower wing-beats. Best told by white throat with brown breast-band, and white breast and belly contrasting with brown underwing, flanks and vent. Birds breeding in the Himalayas have mid-brown upperparts and wings, paler brown than Common Swift. Birds in Western Ghats and Sri Lanka are smaller and darker with broader breast band. Usually keeps in scattered flocks. Roots in clefts in rock faces. Skims over hills and mountains with cli ffs or old forts; may occur briefly over any habitat

Compare size with other birds

Every bird sits between two neighbours — bigger than one, smaller than the other. The sentences below are generated live from the database.

Open full comparison

Alpine Swift is bigger than Crake but smaller than Green Sandpiper.

This bird

Alpine Swift

Tachymarptis melba'

22–22 cm