House Swift

Apus nipalensis

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered Endemic

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderApodiformes (Swifts and Hummingbirds)
FamilyApodidae (Swifts)
GenusApus (Typical Swifts)
SpeciesApus nipalensis (House Swift)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Gunung Leuser National Park

6 Verified sightings at Gunung Leuser National Park From 2019 to 2026

2,234 Verified sightings across all 29 parks From 2019 to 2026

🌅 Crepuscular When it's spotted at dawn and dusk

About the House Swift

The house swift (Apus nipalensis) is a species of swift in the family Apodidae. It is found in Japan, Nepal, and Southeast Asia. It is capable of flying long distances by alternately shutting off hemispheres of its brain in-flight.

It was formerly considered a subspecies of the little swift, under the name Apus affinis subfurcatus. The house swift looks quite similar to the little swift. It is a small bird, but a medium-sized swift, with a wingspan of 12.5-14.5 cm. Its body size ranges from 14 to 16 cm and weighs approximately 20-35 g. This species has a dark, slightly forked tail. Other than the white rump band and white throat-patch, the house swift has a black plumage, darker than the little swift.

The name Apus nipalensis has two parts. Apus is the genus for swifts, and comes from the Latin word for the swift, or swallow with no feet. Nipalensis means from Nepal. Currently, there are four subspecies of the house swift: Apus nipalensis nipalensis, Apus nipalensis subfurcatus, Apus nipalensis furcatus, and Apus nipalensis kuntzi.

The house swift is highly aerial, spending much of its time feeding in the air. The house... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Gunung Leuser National Park

Apus pacificus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Collocalia affinis

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Aerodramus maximus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Rhaphidura leucopygialis

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Aerodramus fuciphagus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Hydrochous gigas

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Hirundapus giganteus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Cypsiurus balasiensis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Aerodramus salangana

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Hirundapus caudacutus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

LC Endemic

Hirundapus cochinchinensis

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Hemiprocne longipennis

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Khao Yai National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	~20%
2	Bali Barat National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	~20%
3	Taroko National Park	🇹🇼 Taiwan	~20%
4	Doi Inthanon National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	~10%
5	Taman Negara National Park	🇲🇾 Malaysia	~10%
6	Royal Bardia National Park	🇳🇵 Nepal	~10%
7	Chitwan National Park	🇳🇵 Nepal	~10%
8	Bako National Park	🇲🇾 Malaysia	~10%
9	Langtang National Park	🇳🇵 Nepal	<5%
10	Kaziranga National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
11	Jiuzhaigou National Park	🇨🇳 China	<5%
12	Khao Sok National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	<5%
13	Way Kambas National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	<5%
14	Sepilok	🇲🇾 Malaysia	<5%
15	Tangkoko Nature Reserve	🇮🇩 Indonesia	<5%
16	Kerinci Seblat National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	<5%
17	Cat Tien National Park	🇻🇳 Vietnam	<5%
18	Kinabalu Park	🇲🇾 Malaysia	<5%
19	Danum Valley Conservation Area	🇲🇾 Malaysia	<5%
20	Kaeng Krachan National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	<5%
21	Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary	🇲🇾 Malaysia	<5%
22	Manas National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
23	Royal Manas National Park	🇧🇹 Bhutan	<5%
24	Gunung Leuser National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	Insufficient data
25	Nikko National Park	🇯🇵 Japan	Insufficient data
26	Khangchendzonga National Park	🇮🇳 India	Insufficient data
27	Cuc Phuong National Park	🇻🇳 Vietnam	Insufficient data
28	Khao Luang National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	Insufficient data
29	Nitmiluk National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	Insufficient data

← Back to Gunung Leuser National Park

House Swift

About the House Swift

Closest Relatives at Gunung Leuser National Park

Pacific Swift

Plume-toed Swiftlet

Black-nest Swiftlet

Silver-rumped Needletail

White-nest Swiftlet

Waterfall Swift

Brown-backed Needletail

Asian Palm-Swift

Mossy-nest Swiftlet

White-throated Needletail

Silver-backed Needletail

Gray-rumped Treeswift

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found