Photo: Dr. Raju Kasambe / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Asian Palm Swift
Cypsiurus balasiensis
Asian Palm Swift (Cypsiurus balasiensis) — Swifts of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Asian Palm Swift (Cypsiurus balasiensis) is a member of the Apodidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 9.1 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 Cypsiurus
- Species balasiensis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 9.1 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Apodidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Urban & human-modified
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Asian Palm Swift is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of farmland, parks and gardens, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Asian Palm Swift is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Asian Palm Swift (Cypsiurus balasiensis) is a member of the Apodidae family, within the order Apodiformes. Its range spans South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR widespread.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 9.1 g, with a wing length of about 11.5 cm and a tail of around 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.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 6.8 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Asian Palm Swift?
The Asian Palm Swift is a very small bird that weighs around 9.1 g.
Where does the Asian Palm Swift live?
The Asian Palm Swift is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR widespread, where it adapts readily to towns, parks and gardens.
What family does the Asian Palm Swift belong to?
The Asian Palm Swift (Cypsiurus balasiensis) belongs to the Apodidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the Asian Palm Swift eat?
The Asian Palm Swift is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Asian Palm Swift migrate?
The Asian Palm Swift is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Asian Palm 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 Asian Palm Swift make?
1 real field recording of the Asian Palm Swift — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Asian Palm Swift's range?
The Asian Palm Swift has a mapped global range of about 6.8 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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