Alpine Swift

The Alpine Swift is characterised by its large size among swifts, with a sleek, streamlined body. Its upperparts are a uniform dark brown, contrasting sharply with a white belly and throat, separated by a brown breast band. Their long, narrow, and sickle-shaped wings are perfectly adapted for sustained flight.

Both sexes are similar in appearance, with juveniles closely resembling adults but showing slightly paler feather edges. The bird maintains this plumage year-round, with no significant seasonal variations.

They are often seen in flocks where they emit a loud rising and falling metallic trilling chorus of ‘peee – ti – ti – tititititititi - ti – ti’.

Alpine swifts and their subspecies can be found in southern Europe, Morocco, Libya, Asia minor, western, eastern and southern Africa, Madagascar, Middle East, Indian sub-continent and Sri Lanka and have even been reported in China.

The alpine swift is a particularly graceful bird in the air with large broad wings, often swept back in a ‘boomerang shape, as it glides, swoops and soars in its almost continuous ariel ballet. Look out for its prominent white underbelly and flanks.

Frequently seen in large flocks flying low in Mediterranean climes, many of those breeding in temperate zones will migrate to Africa to over winter, attaining vast heights as they do so.

Although the alpine swift is equipped with a very tiny beak it has an extremely large mouth in comparison which enables it to catch flying insects whilst it itself is in flight. Their diet consists of bees, wasps, lacewings, cicadas, aphids and butterflies.

Nesting takes place in shallow cups of grass and feathers ‘cemented’ together with spittle on cliff tops and in crags or holes in buildings and often forms part of a larger nesting colony.

Between 1 and 4 eggs are laid, usually 3 and incubated for a period of 3 weeks. Fledging occurs some 53 to 66 days after hatching. Pairs mate for life and will return to the same nest year after year.

Alpine Swifts are supremely adapted for an aerial lifestyle and can stay aloft for incredibly long periods. They feed, drink, and even sleep on the wing, rarely landing except to nest.

These birds are highly social, often seen in large, screaming flocks, particularly during migration and in feeding areas.

Life expectancy for alpine swifts is between ten to fifteen years.

While the Alpine Swift is currently listed as Least Concern, it faces threats from climate change affecting its mountain habitats. Urban development can provide nesting sites on buildings and pose risks through collisions.

Conservation efforts focus on protecting natural nesting sites and creating safe urban habitats.

The alpine swift is a very large swift with broad wings and a short, forked tail. Upper parts, including the head on the adult bird, are olive-brown.

The chin and throat are white, and there is a large white patch covering the breast and both flanks, separated from the throat by an olive-brown breast band extending down from the head and circling the base of the bird’s neck. The lower belly area and vent are olive-brown with the undertail coverts a darker brown than the rest of the body.

The bill is tiny and very dark in colour, and the legs and feet are small and short. Adult males and females are similar in appearance.