Photo: Afsarnayakkan / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Blyth’s Swift
Apus leuconyx
Blyth's Swift (Apus leuconyx) — Swifts of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Blyth’s Swift (Apus leuconyx) is a member of the Apodidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 39.4 g.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Apodiformes
- Family Apodidae Swifts
- Genus Apus
- Species leuconyx
Where it lives
Mid to high altitudes in Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan and northeastern India
Quick facts
- Weight
- 39.4 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Apodidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Blyth’s Swift is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense woodland, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Blyth’s Swift is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Blyth’s Swift (Apus leuconyx) belongs to the Apodidae family of the order Apodiformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers PAL, OR mid to high altitudes in Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan and ne India.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 39.4 g, with a wing length of about 17.3 cm and a tail of around 7.2 cm.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Blyth’s Swift?
The Blyth’s Swift is a small bird that weighs around 39.4 g.
Where does the Blyth’s Swift live?
The Blyth’s Swift is found across Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia with a range covering PAL, OR mid to high altitudes in Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan and ne India, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Blyth’s Swift belong to?
The Blyth’s Swift (Apus leuconyx) belongs to the Apodidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the Blyth’s Swift eat?
The Blyth’s Swift is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Blyth’s Swift migrate?
The Blyth’s Swift is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
What sound does the Blyth’s Swift make?
1 real field recording of the Blyth’s Swift — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Apodidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Swifts
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable