House Swift
Apus nipalensis
Silhouette: Ferran Sayol · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderApodiformes (Swifts and Hummingbirds)
- FamilyApodidae (Swifts)
- GenusApus (Typical Swifts)
- SpeciesApus nipalensis (House Swift)
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 →
Recent sightings of House Swift in Way Kambas National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Way Kambas National Park
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Apus pacificus
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Collocalia affinis
White-nest Swiftlet
Aerodramus fuciphagus
Asian Palm-Swift
Cypsiurus balasiensis
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Rhaphidura leucopygialis
Brown-backed Needletail
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Black-nest Swiftlet
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Gray-rumped Treeswift
Hemiprocne longipennis
Whiskered Treeswift
Hemiprocne comata
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a House Swift in Way Kambas National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a House Swift sighting in Way Kambas National Park, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see House Swift in Way Kambas National Park?
August has the highest sighting rate for House Swift in Way Kambas National Park in our monthly data.