Photo: Afsarnayakkan / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Alpine Swift
Tachymarptis melba
Alpine Swift (Tachymarptis melba) — Swifts of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 12 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Alpine Swift (Tachymarptis melba) is a member of the Apodidae family found in Africa, Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 100 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 Tachymarptis
- Species melba
Quick facts
- Weight
- 100 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Apodidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Alpine 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 Alpine Swift is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Alpine Swift (Tachymarptis melba) is a species of bird in the Apodidae family, part of the order Apodiformes. It occurs naturally across Africa, Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers PAL, AF, OR widespread.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 100 g, with a wing length of about 21.9 cm and a tail of around 8.6 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 7.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Alpine Swift?
The Alpine Swift is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 100 g.
Where does the Alpine Swift live?
The Alpine Swift is found across Africa, Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia with a range covering PAL, AF, OR widespread, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Alpine Swift belong to?
The Alpine Swift (Tachymarptis melba) belongs to the Apodidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the Alpine Swift eat?
The Alpine Swift is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Alpine Swift migrate?
The Alpine Swift is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Alpine 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 Alpine Swift make?
1 real field recording of the Alpine Swift — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Alpine Swift's range?
The Alpine Swift has a mapped global range of about 7.3 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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