Photo: Prasan Shrestha / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
House Swift
Apus nipalensis
House Swift (Apus nipalensis) — Swifts of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 15 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The House Swift (Apus nipalensis) is a member of the Apodidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 29.8 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 nipalensis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 29.8 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Apodidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Urban & human-modified
How to identify
Similar birds
Data Deficient
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The House 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 House Swift is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The House Swift (Apus nipalensis) is a member of the Apodidae family, within the order Apodiformes. It is found across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR also s Japan.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 29.8 g, with a wing length of about 13 cm and a tail of around 4.8 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 5.8 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the House Swift?
The House Swift is a small bird that weighs around 29.8 g.
Where does the House Swift live?
The House Swift is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR also s Japan, where it adapts readily to towns, parks and gardens.
What family does the House Swift belong to?
The House Swift (Apus nipalensis) belongs to the Apodidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the House Swift eat?
The House Swift is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the House Swift migrate?
The House Swift is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the House 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 House Swift make?
1 real field recording of the House 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 House Swift's range?
The House Swift has a mapped global range of about 5.8 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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