House Swift
Apus nipalensis
Medium-sized dark swift with small white throat patch and rump patch. Commonly nests in building and cave crevices and often seen in small flocks over valleys, cities, and forests. Plumage pattern is similar to Pacific Swift, which has darker throat and very different shape, with longer, more pointed wings and long, sharply forked tail. White plumage patches distinguish it from Aerodramus swiftlets. Gives a high-pitched, twittering trill.
Identification
The house swift looks quite similar to the little swift. It is a small bird, but a medium-sized swift, with a wingspan of 12.5-14.5 cm. Its body size ranges from 14 to 16 cm and weighs approximately 20-35 g. This species has a dark, slightly forked tail. Other than the white rump band and white throat-patch, the house swift has a black plumage, darker than the little swift.
Taxonomy
The name Apus nipalensis has two parts. Apus is the genus for swifts, and comes from the Latin word for the swift, or swallow with no feet. Nipalensis means from Nepal.<p>Currently, there are four subspecies of the house swift: Apus nipalensis nipalensis, Apus nipalensis subfurcatus, Apus nipalensis furcatus, and Apus nipalensis kuntzi.
- Scientific name
- Apus nipalensis
- Authority
- (Hodgson, 1837)
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Family
- Apodidae
- Genus
- Apus
Range and habitat
The house swift is highly aerial, spending much of its time feeding in the air. The house swift is generally found on the Asian continent. Each subspecies has a slightly different distribution throughout the continent.<p>House swifts live both in urban and rural areas of Asia. They've been found from the mountainous regions of Nepal and in cities and towns in China, Vietnam, and Hong Kong. It has been found in North America only one time in 2012; it was identified as a house swift after DNA sequencing. However, this observation was unaccepted as the bird was dead when found.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
House swifts have two main areas of nesting: in cliffs or in urban areas. When nesting in urban areas, this species tends to prefer under roof overhangs of buildings or in tunnels. Many nest in cliffs on offshore islands near Vietnam. House swifts build their nest using their saliva to messily stick together leaves, branches and feathers.<p>The house swift has one breeding period with, generally, two broods per year. The first egg-laying period takes three weeks. By early June, all fledglings from the first clutch have taken flight. A few weeks later, the second clutch hatches. The last fledglings leave the nest by mid-September. The clutch sizes can vary, ranging anywhere from one to five eggs. The incubation period can last anywhere from 20 to 30 days.<p>Like many swallows and swifts, house swifts eat in the air. They mainly feed on small organisms that are dispersed throughout the air. A fecal analysis discovered the house swift diet is almost solely from the arthropoda phylum. This primarily includes, but is not limited to, ants, spiders, mosquitos, and flies.<p>House swifts make a ti-ti-ti-tititrrrrrr sound, among many others, as part of their vocal catalogues.
Conservation
- Population trend
- rising
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Leaf Lorikeet
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A long-tailed, red-billed parrot, mostly lime-green apart from a paler collar, a marginally darker head, and a yellow-green patch on the breast. In flight, shows yellow underwings. Juveniles are duller, with a brown bill. Restricted to the island of Flores, where small groups inhabit forested foothills. Found at higher elevations than Coconut Lorikeet, and lacks the dark blue head and the red on the underparts. Vocal, giving shrill calls typical of lorikeets: “skreeeee.”
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