Photo: Ismael Olea / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Pallid Swift
Apus pallidus
Pallid Swift (Apus pallidus) — Swifts of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Pallid Swift (Apus pallidus) is a member of the Apodidae family found in Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 41.9 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Apodiformes
- Family Apodidae Swifts
- Genus Apus
- Species pallidus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 41.9 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Apodidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Pallid Swift is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of rocky terrain, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Pallid Swift is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Pallid Swift (Apus pallidus) is a member of the Apodidae family, within the order Apodiformes. Its range spans Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL, AF s Europe, Arabian Pen. and n AF.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 41.9 g, with a wing length of about 16.7 cm and a tail of around 7.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 1.7 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Pallid Swift?
The Pallid Swift is a small bird that weighs around 41.9 g.
Where does the Pallid Swift live?
The Pallid Swift is found across Africa and Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL, AF s Europe, Arabian Pen. and n AF, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Pallid Swift belong to?
The Pallid Swift (Apus pallidus) belongs to the Apodidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the Pallid Swift eat?
The Pallid Swift is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Pallid Swift migrate?
The Pallid Swift is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Pallid Swift endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Pallid Swift make?
1 real field recording of the Pallid Swift — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Pallid Swift's range?
The Pallid Swift has a mapped global range of about 1.7 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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