Hubbry Logo
Alpine swiftAlpine swiftMain
Open search
Alpine swift
Community hub
Alpine swift
logo
8 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Alpine swift
Alpine swift
Alpine swift
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

Alpine swift
Flying in Attica
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Clade: Strisores
Order: Apodiformes
Family: Apodidae
Genus: Tachymarptis
Species:
T. melba
Binomial name
Tachymarptis melba
Range of T. melba
  Breeding
  Resident
  Non-breeding
  Vagrant (seasonality uncertain)
  Possibly Extant (passage)
Synonyms
  • Hirundo melba Linnaeus, 1758
  • Apus melba (Linnaeus, 1758)

The alpine swift (Tachymarptis melba) is a species of swift found in Africa, southern Europe, and Asia. They breed in mountains from southern Europe to the Himalayas. Like common swifts, they are migratory; the southern European population winters further south in southern Africa. They have very short legs which are used for clinging to vertical surfaces. Like most swifts, they never settle voluntarily on the ground, spending most of their lives in the air living on the insects they catch in their beaks.

Taxonomy

[edit]

The alpine swift was formally described in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae. He placed it with the swifts in the genus Hirundo and coined the binomial name Hirundo melba. Linnaeus specified the type locality as Gibraltar.[2] Linnaeus based his account on "The greatest martin or swift" that had been described and illustrated in 1743 by the English naturalist George Edwards in his book A Natural History of Uncommon Birds. Edwards's specimen had been shot on the rock of Gibraltar.[3] The alpine swift is now placed together with the mottled swift in the genus Tachymarptis that was introduced in 1922 by the South African zoologist Austin Roberts.[4] The genus name is from the Ancient Greek ταχυς/takhus meaning "fast", and μαρπτις/marptis meaning "seizer".[5] The etymology of the specific epithet melba is uncertain, but it may be a short form for melanoalba or melalba, from Ancient Greek μελας /"melas", μελανος/melanos meaning "black" and Latin albus meaning "white".[6]

Ten subspecies are recognised:[4]

  • T. m. melba (Linnaeus, 1758) – south Europe through Turkey to northwest Iran
  • T. m. tuneti (Tschusi, 1904) – Morocco through the Middle East and east to west Pakistan
  • T. m. archeri (Hartert, EJO, 1928) – north Somalia, southwest Arabia to Jordan and Israel
  • T. m. maximus (Ogilvie-Grant, 1907) – Rwenzori Mountains (northeast DR Congo and Uganda)
  • T. m. africanus (Temminck, 1815) – Ethiopia to South Africa and southwest Angola
  • T. m. marjoriae (Bradfield, 1935) – central north Namibia and northwest South Africa
  • T. m. willsi (Hartert, EJO, 1896) – Madagascar
  • T. m. nubifugus (Koelz, 1954) – Himalayas
  • T. m. dorabtatai (Abdulali, 1965) – west India
  • T. m. bakeri (Hartert, EJO, 1928) – Sri Lanka

Description and biology

[edit]

This is a large swift measuring 20–22 cm in length[7] with a wingspan of 54–60 cm with broad wings and tail with a shallow fork,[8] superficially similar to a large barn swallow or house martin although unrelated to these two species, since swifts are in the order Apodiformes. The resemblance could be due to convergent evolution, reflecting similar lifestyles. Upper parts are olive-brown with sharp and long wings with wing-tips appearing blacker; underparts with white throat (often not easily visible)[7] and highly visible and distinctive oval white belly patch encircled by olive-brown breastband, flanks and undertail-coverts.[8] Races tuneti and marjoriae paler, with grey-brown plumage; archeri averages paler than tuneti, with shorter wings; maximus is the largest race, with very dark, blackish plumage; africanus and nubifugus smaller than nominate, with blacker plumage, smaller throat patch and blacker shaft-streaks on white areas; willsi and bakeri both smaller, with darker plumage and broader and narrower breast bands, respectively; dorabtatai has broader breast band and shorter wings than nubifugus and is separated from bakeri by its paler plumage and broader breast band.[8]

Alpine swifts breed in mountains from southern Europe to the Himalaya. Like common swifts, they are strongly migratory, and winter much further south in southern Africa. They wander widely on migration, and are regularly seen in much of southern Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. The species seems to have been much more widespread during the last ice age, with a large colony breeding, for example in the Late Pleistocene Cave No 16, Bulgaria, around 18,000–40,000 years ago.[9] The same situation has been found for Komarowa Cave near Częstochowa, Poland during a period about 20,000–40,000 years ago.[10]

These apodiformes build their nests in colonies in a suitable cliff hole or cave, laying two or three eggs. Swifts will return to the same sites year after year, rebuilding their nests when necessary, and pairing for life. Young swifts in the nest can drop their body temperature and become torpid if bad weather prevents their parents from catching insects nearby. They have adapted well to urban conditions, frequently nesting in old buildings in towns around the Mediterranean, where large, low-flying flocks are a familiar feature there in summer. Alpine swifts have a short forked tail and very long swept-back wings that resemble a crescent or a boomerang but may (as in the image) be held stretched straight out. Their flight is slower and more powerful than that of their smaller relatives, with a call that is a drawn-out twittering (listen at right).

Alpine swifts are readily distinguished from the common swifts by their larger size and their white belly and throat. They are around twice as big as most other swifts in their range, about 20 to 23 cm (7.9 to 9.1 in) in length, with a wingspan of 57 cm (22 in) and a weight of around 100 g (3.5 oz).[11] By comparison, the common swift has a wingspan of around 42 cm (17 in). They're largely dark brown in colour with a dark neck band that separates the white throat from the white belly. Juveniles are similar to adults, but their feathers are pale edged.[12]

Eggs of Tachymarptis melba
Alpine swift call
The call is a drawn-out twittering.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Distribution and habitat

[edit]

It is a polytypic species found all year-round in eastern and southern Africa, Madagascar, western peninsular India and Sri Lanka, with larger non-breeding distributions in western, eastern and southern Africa, parts of the western edge of the Arabian peninsula, and breeding across southern Europe in the west across Turkey, northwards through the Caucasus and along the east coast of the Black Sea to the Crimean peninsula and Central Asia up to Turkestan and to the south along Iran and Afghanistan up to Balochistan in Western Pakistan and further east along the Himalayas.[8][7] There are also scattered populations in northwestern Africa with an isolated population in Northern Libya.[7] The distribution of the 10 sub-species are: (1) A. m. melba (76–120g)[8] described originally by Linnaeus (1758) with type-locality Gibraltar distributed across southern Europe (east from Iberian Peninsula) and northern Morocco and east through Asia Minor to northwest Iran and wintering in west, central and east Africa, (2) A. m. tuneti (95–110g)[8] described by von Tschusi in 1904 with type-locality in Tunisia and distributed across central and eastern Morocco eastwards to Libya and through Middle East and Iran (except northwest where A. m. melba) to southeast Kazakhstan and up to western Pakistan, and wintering in west and east Africa, (3) A. m. archeri described by Hartert (1928) with type-locality Hargeisa, in Somaliland distributed from the Dead Sea depression at the borders of Israel and Jordan, south to southwest Arabia and Somalia, (4) A. m. africanus (67–87g)[8] described by Temminck (1815) with type-locality in South Africa distributed across east and southern Africa and southwest Angola with some populations of this sub-species wintering in east Africa, (5) A. m. maximus (128g)[8] described by Ogilvie-Grant (1907) with type-locality in the eastern slopes of the Rwenzori mountains at 3,000–3,700 m (10,000–12,000 ft) distributed across Uganda and DR Congo, (6) A. m. marjoriae described by R D Bradfield (1935) from Quickborn, Damaraland distributed in Namibia and adjacent western South Africa in the northwestern parts of Northern Cape, (7) A. m. willsi described by Ernst Hartnert (1896) from Madagascar and endemic to the island, (8) A. m. nubifugus described by Koelz (1854) distributed across the Himalayas and wintering in central India, (9) A. m. dorabtatai described by Abdulali (1965) distributed in western peninsular India, (10) A. m. bakeri described by Hartert (1928) from Sri Lanka distributed only on that island-nation. In the western palearctic, temperate and mediterranean zones, it is typically in the mountains but occasionally in lowlands, while in remainder of sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia, it occurs in a larger variety of habitats ranging from sub-desert steppe to mountains.[8] It typically breeds below 1,500 m (4,900 ft) but may sometimes go up to 2,300 m (7,500 ft). In the tropical parts of it range in Kenya, it has been recorded breeding above 4000 m and in the Himalayas, it has been observed foraging at 3,700 m (12,100 ft). Seen entering probable nesting sites at 2,100 m (6,900 ft) on Madagascar.

Alpine swifts have been recorded in some places in the Americas, including in Bermuda,[13] Brazil,[14] Barbados,[15] Puerto Rico,[16] French Guiana,[17] Saint Lucia,[18] and Guadeloupe.[19]

Behaviour and ecology

[edit]

It has a powerful and rapid flight with deep slow wing beats.[7] They are known to engage in twilight ascent, which is characterised by increased flight activity and gaining altitude and longer-distance horizontal flights at dawn and dusk, possibly part of social interactions between individuals.[20] Alpine swifts spend most of their lives in the air, living on the insects they catch in their beaks. They drink on the wing, but roost on vertical cliffs or walls. A study published in 2013 showed Alpine swifts can spend over six months flying without having to land.[21] All vital physiological processes, including sleep, can be performed while in air. In 2011, Felix Liechti and his colleagues at the Swiss Ornithological Institute attached electronic tags that log movement to six alpine swifts and it was discovered that the birds could stay aloft in the air for more than 200 days straight.[22]

Breeding

[edit]

Alpine swifts breed in colonies of up to hundreds of pairs on cliffsides or buildings.[23] They habitually return to the same colonies year after year, and are considered monogamous, featuring a relatively low rate of extra-pair paternity among females. They breed once a year, each clutch having 1-4 eggs. The brood is incubated and fed by both parents. The hatchlings fledge at about 50 days after hatching.

Sexual dimorphism is cryptic, with males having a slightly longer tail fork– about 7% longer on average.[24]

Food and feeding

[edit]

The alpine swift's diet consists mainly of arthropods, principally insects but also spiders. Insects across 10 orders and 79 families were documented in the diets of individuals from Africa and Europe, with the homoptera, diptera and hymenoptera being the most often consumed.[25]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Alpine swift

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
The Alpine swift (Tachymarptis melba) is a large, robust of swift, recognized as the largest in its , measuring 20–23 cm in length with a of 51–60 cm and weighing 80–120 g. It features distinctive with umber-brown upperparts, a white throat and underbelly separated by a dark brown pectoral band, and a short, slightly forked that aids its powerful, sustained flight. This is highly aerial, spending much of its life on the wing, and is known for its falcon-like and impressive speeds of up to 110 km/h while . Native to mountainous and coastal regions, it breeds across , , the , and parts of including the , with 10 recognized exhibiting variations in size and distribution, such as T. m. melba in and T. m. nubifugus in the . Alpine swifts inhabit rugged, rocky terrains such as high cliffs and sea crags, often below 1,500 m elevation but occasionally up to 4,000 m in mountainous areas, and they have adapted to urban settings by nesting on old buildings and structures in towns. They are long-distance migrants, with European and Asian populations wintering in and southern Asia, respectively, and their range is expanding northward in , making them occasional vagrants to northern regions like the . Social and colonial in nature, these swifts form large flocks during migration and , performing synchronized aerial displays accompanied by loud, twittering calls, and they feed exclusively on captured in mid-air with rapid wingbeats. Breeding occurs in spring and summer in colonies within rock crevices, cliff faces, or building eaves, where pairs construct cup-shaped nests glued together with saliva and lined with feathers and debris. Clutch sizes typically range from 2–4 eggs (usually 3), incubated by both parents for 18–22 days, with fledging occurring after 54–66 days in the nest, allowing young to become proficient fliers before independence. Individuals can live up to 27 years, contributing to stable populations in core breeding areas; the species is classified as Least Concern on the . Economically, Alpine swifts provide benefits by controlling pest insects but may cause minor issues when nesting on structures.

Taxonomy

Classification and nomenclature

The Alpine swift is classified within the order , family Apodidae, genus Tachymarptis, and T. melba. This placement reflects its membership in the swift family, characterized by aerial lifestyles and adaptations for continuous flight. Originally described as Hirundo melba by in 1758, the was later transferred to the genus as Apus melba due to similarities in morphology and behavior with other swifts. The genus Tachymarptis was first proposed in 1922 by Austin Roberts to accommodate the Alpine swift and the closely related mottled swift (T. aequatorialis), based on differences in wing structure, tail shape, and overall size compared to Apus . However, this separation was not widely accepted until molecular phylogenetic studies provided supporting evidence; a 2012 analysis using mitochondrial and nuclear DNA markers confirmed that Tachymarptis forms a distinct from Apus, justifying the reclassification of the Alpine swift as Tachymarptis melba on the basis of and morphological traits such as broader wings and a more robust build. The genus name Tachymarptis derives from takhus (meaning "swift" or "fast") and marptis (meaning "seizer" or "grasper"), alluding to the bird's rapid flight and insect-catching prowess. The specific epithet melba has an uncertain origin but is thought to be a contraction of melanoalba or melalba, combining Greek melas ("black") and Latin alba ("white"), referencing the ' dark contrasted with its prominent white underparts. Historically, the Alpine swift has been known by synonyms such as Cypselus melba and Micropus melba in older taxonomic arrangements, reflecting shifts in generic boundaries within Apodidae. Common names vary regionally; in addition to "Alpine swift," it is sometimes called "white-bellied swift" in English-speaking contexts, emphasizing its distinctive abdominal patch, while equivalents in other languages include "vencejo real" (Spanish for "royal swift") and "martinet alpin" (French).

Subspecies

The Alpine swift (Tachymarptis melba) is a polytypic species with 10 recognized subspecies, distinguished primarily by their geographic ranges and subtle morphological traits such as size, plumage coloration, and the prominence of features like the white throat patch and breastband. These include:
  • T. m. melba: Nominate subspecies, occurring in southern Europe to northwestern Iran; winters in Africa; weighs 76–120 g.
  • T. m. tuneti: Central Morocco to western Pakistan; winters in Africa; 95–110 g, paler gray-brown plumage.
  • T. m. archeri: Dead Sea region to Somalia; paler plumage, shorter wings.
  • T. m. africanus: Eastern and southern Africa; winters in east Africa; 67–87 g, blacker plumage.
  • T. m. maximus: Mount Rwenzori (eastern Africa); largest subspecies, blackish, 128 g.
  • T. m. marjoriae: Namibia and South Africa (including areas near southwestern Angola); paler gray-brown.
  • T. m. willsi: Madagascar; smaller, darker plumage.
  • T. m. nubifugus: Himalayas; winters in India; smaller, blacker plumage.
  • T. m. dorabtatai: Western India; broader breastband, shorter wings.
  • T. m. bakeri: Sri Lanka; smaller size, narrower breastband.
These exhibit variations in overall size (67–128 g) and (from paler gray-brown to blackish), with the white throat patch broader in some Asian forms compared to the nominate. Genetic studies indicate low divergence among , with intergradation in overlap zones.

Description

Physical characteristics

The Alpine swift (Tachymarptis melba) is a large member of the swift family, measuring 20–22 cm in length with a of 54–60 cm and weighing 76–120 g in the nominate . It possesses a robust, thick-set build relative to smaller swifts, featuring long, broad, crescent-shaped wings that enable efficient soaring and sustained aerial maneuvers. The is predominantly olive-brown to dark brown on the upperparts, including the back, head, and upperwings, with a distinctive white chin and throat patch separated from a larger white belly patch by a dark brown breast band. The undertail coverts are olive-brown, contrasting with the short, slightly forked dark tail, while the underwing appears mostly dark with some paler fringes. Sexual dimorphism is minimal and cryptic, with females averaging slightly smaller than males in overall size, including subtle differences in fork length. Juveniles resemble adults but exhibit duller , characterized by pale edges on the feathers of the body, coverts, and , which provide a scaled or fringed appearance that wears off with age. Key morphological adaptations support the species' aerial lifestyle, including elongated s optimized for prolonged and powerful flight at speeds up to 110 km/h, short and weak legs suited only for clinging to vertical surfaces rather than perching or walking, and rictal bristles—stiff, feather-like structures around the mouth—that help channel airborne into the wide gape during .

Vocalizations

The Alpine swift (Tachymarptis melba) is highly vocal during flight, producing calls that facilitate communication among individuals in loose flocks or colonies. The primary call is a loud, metallic-sounding trilling phrase that lasts approximately 2–4 seconds and features an accelerating tempo followed by deceleration. This vocalization is often rendered as a shrill, chittering scream or drawn-out twittering, serving as a contact call to maintain group cohesion during or migration. Acoustic properties of the call include its piercing quality, which carries effectively over distances in open air, with recordings indicating a repetitive structure of high-pitched notes that drop slightly in pitch toward the end. The duration and modulation help distinguish it in noisy aerial environments, though specific ranges are not well-documented in broad surveys. In alarm contexts, such as when predators approach breeding sites, the calls become more urgent and , differing from the smoother trills used in routine flight. Compared to the (Apus apus), the Alpine swift's calls are generally longer and more drawn-out, reflecting its larger size and slower flight style, though both share a similar shrill adapted for aerial signaling. These vocalizations play a role in breeding displays, where males deliver rapid series of chirps to attract mates near nest sites.

Distribution and habitat

Geographic range

The Alpine swift (Tachymarptis melba) has a broad breeding distribution centered on mountainous regions across the Palearctic and Afrotropical realms. Its core breeding range spans , from the eastward through the , , Apennines, and to , with scattered populations north of the in countries such as , , , , and . The species also breeds extensively in , including , , , and ; the , from Asia Minor () and the to northwestern and the ; and further east into (southeastern , western ), the (from to and ), and isolated sites in and peninsular . In Africa, several are more sedentary, breeding in eastern and southern regions from southwestern and southward to , , , and . Migratory populations from , , and the winter primarily in , with records spanning from and eastward to and , and southward to including . Himalayan and Indian breeders undertake shorter migrations, wintering in . African populations show more localized movements, with southern breeders remaining in eastern Africa during the non-breeding season. Vagrant individuals occasionally appear outside the core range, particularly in northern Europe, where sightings have been recorded in the , , , , , , Czechia, , and . Farther afield, vagrants have reached , the , , , , and other distant locales. In , the species has shown signs of northward range expansion in recent decades, with increasing records in central and northern areas. The global population is estimated at 2,160,000–4,870,000 mature individuals (as of 2018), with trends unknown; in , there are 323,000–726,000 breeding pairs (as of 2021), and Turkish populations number 100,000–200,000 pairs (as of 2021). European trends are mixed, with increases in some countries and decreases in others.

Habitat requirements

The Alpine swift (Tachymarptis melba) primarily breeds in montane regions, favoring rocky cliffs, deep gorges, and occasionally tall buildings or man-made structures that provide suitable nesting ledges or crevices. These sites are typically located below 1,500 m , though breeding occurs up to 4,000 m or higher in mountainous areas, with records up to 4,600 m in high African mountains. The species shows a preference for south-facing slopes, which offer increased warmth and solar exposure essential for incubation and fledging. During the non-breeding season, Alpine swifts inhabit more open and varied landscapes in , including savannas, coastal plains, and urban areas with access to aerial space. They actively avoid dense canopies, which limit their flight-based , and instead exploit expansive, unobstructed environments that support large populations. These habitats contrast with breeding sites by emphasizing lowland accessibility over vertical nesting opportunities.

Migration

Patterns and routes

The Alpine swift (Tachymarptis melba) undertakes long-distance intra-continental migrations, with European and western Asian populations (from southern Europe to Turkey) migrating between Palearctic breeding grounds and Afrotropical wintering areas south of the Sahara Desert in sub-Saharan Africa, while eastern Asian populations (e.g., in the Himalayas) winter in southern Asia. Western European populations typically follow southwestern routes across the Iberian Peninsula toward the Strait of Gibraltar, crossing into northwest Africa before proceeding southward along the Atlantic coast to West African wintering sites. In contrast, central and eastern European birds, along with western Asian populations, utilize distinct eastern flyways, often passing through the Balkans and southern Turkey—such as via Belen Pass—before traversing the eastern Mediterranean and potentially the Suez region or Red Sea corridor to reach eastern and southern African destinations; recent 2025 geolocator tracking of Levant populations confirms direct routes along the western Red Sea coast to a confined wintering area in South Sudan and Ethiopia without prolonged stopovers. These divergent pathways reflect population-specific adaptations, with geolocator tracking of over 200 individuals confirming segregated routes that minimize overlap between western and eastern groups. Key stopover sites along these routes include Mediterranean coastal areas and islands, where birds briefly rest and forage before major crossings, as well as oases and riparian zones in the south of the for refueling during southward journeys. Unlike some other swifts, Alpine swifts often complete much of their migration with minimal prolonged stopovers, relying on their exceptional to cover vast distances; however, banding recoveries indicate utilization of these sites for short-term recovery, particularly in the Mediterranean and zones, and 2025 data for eastern populations show no stopovers during Red Sea crossings. During active migration, individuals maintain average ground speeds of approximately 40-50 km/h, enabling them to traverse challenging barriers like the and Desert in segmented flights, though overall daily progress can vary with wind assistance and route efficiency. Navigation during these migrations likely involves a multimodal system combining celestial cues, geomagnetic fields, and visual landmarks, adapted to the swift's predominantly aerial lifestyle. Geolocator and studies suggest that twilight ascents—high-altitude flights at dawn and dusk—may facilitate orientation by providing clear views of or the sun's position for , a observed consistently across populations even far from breeding sites. Evidence from banding and ringing recoveries supports route fidelity, with recaptures demonstrating precise return to natal or wintering areas, implying integration of detection—possibly via proteins in the eyes—for detecting gradients. Landmarks such as mountain ranges and coastlines likely guide fine-scale adjustments near breeding or stopover zones, while over open seas and deserts, stellar and magnetic predominate, as inferred from orientation experiments on related swift species and general avian migration research.

Timing and triggers

The Alpine swift (Tachymarptis melba) exhibits a distinct seasonal migration pattern tied to its breeding cycle in . In northern breeding ranges, such as , birds typically arrive between late February and May, with southern populations (e.g., in ) reaching sites as early as late February or March, while northern ones (e.g., in or ) arrive later in April or May due to latitudinal differences in environmental conditions; populations arrive before March. Departure from breeding grounds occurs from to November, often earlier in higher latitudes to compensate for shorter breeding seasons (e.g., August-October for western populations, November for eastern), followed by the wintering period in (for relevant populations) spanning approximately October to February-March. These timings reflect an endogenous circannual rhythm adjusted to local photoperiod changes, which signal the onset of favorable breeding conditions. Migration is triggered by a combination of endogenous and exogenous cues, including lengthening day lengths that activate the birds' internal clock for northward departure in spring. Food availability plays a key role, as the swifts time their arrival to coincide with emerging aerial populations driven by rising temperatures and growth. Wind patterns also influence timing, with tailwinds facilitating faster trans-Saharan crossings, though adverse such as late springs or cold snaps can delay arrivals by up to several weeks in northern regions. For instance, cooler early-season temperatures may postpone breeding initiation until densities peak. During the non-breeding period in (approximately 5–10°N latitude), Alpine swifts engage in intra-tropical movements, shifting between western and eastern sites—such as from to for western populations—to track seasonal booms associated with rainfall and vegetation cycles; eastern populations, however, show more stationary behavior in areas like and . These adjustments, though less extensive than in other swift species, allow exploitation of localized prey surges, with birds remaining largely aerial and stationary for short periods before relocating.

Behavior and ecology

Breeding biology

The Alpine swift (Tachymarptis melba) is socially monogamous, with pairs typically forming long-term bonds and sharing parental duties equally. It breeds in colonies ranging from a few to several hundred pairs, often occupying crevices, ledges, or holes in cliff faces and tall man-made structures such as , with pairs reusing the same sites across years. involves aerial displays accompanied by vocalizations, though these are primarily detailed in studies of communication. Nests are saucer- or cup-shaped structures constructed gradually over several weeks using as an to bind materials like feathers, plant down, , fibers, and sticks to vertical surfaces. The female lays a clutch of 1–4 white eggs, typically 2–3, with both parents incubating them for 20–23 days. Nestlings are fed by both parents and fledge after 50–70 days. Chick mortality is high, often reaching up to 50% due to factors like falls from unstable nests and predation, resulting in average breeding success of about 1.8–2.0 per pair in monitored European populations. Breeding is seasonal, occurring from to in and southern , and September to January in , aligned with availability. Double-brooding is rare and mostly observed in warmer southern regions.

Foraging and diet

The Alpine swift (Tachymarptis melba) is an aerial that forages exclusively while in flight, capturing prey mid-air by opening its wide gape to scoop up flying s. This technique allows it to exploit airborne resources efficiently, with the rarely, if ever, landing to feed during its active periods. Its diet consists predominantly of flying , comprising over 98% of consumed items across studied populations, with the remainder supplemented by spiders ballooning on silk threads. Prey diversity is high, encompassing from 10 orders and 79 families, including hymenopterans such as and drones of honeybees, dipterans like syrphid flies, hemipterans such as and leafhoppers, and occasional coleopterans like beetles. Prey sizes typically range from 1.3 to 29.6 mm, varying by location based on local availability, with median lengths around 5–9 mm in European and African breeding sites. Foraging occurs at heights of 30–40 m above the ground in most cases, though the bird may descend lower when insect concentrations are dense near the surface. During the breeding season, adults make repeated trips to provision nestlings with compacted food boluses containing hundreds of individual prey items per delivery, reflecting increased energy demands; for example, analyses of boluses from Spanish sites revealed an average of over 160 prey per bolus. Diet composition shows geographic variation, with hymenopterans and dipterans dominant in European populations (each around 47% in Switzerland), while hemipterans prevail in southern African sites (up to 76%). Spiders, primarily from families like Thomisidae and Salticidae, form a minor but consistent supplement, likely captured opportunistically during aerial pursuits. The Alpine swift's exceptional flight endurance supports its foraging strategy, with tracking data confirming that individuals can remain airborne for up to six months during the non-breeding period in , continuously acquiring energy from aerial without landing. This prolonged aerial lifestyle underscores the species' adaptations for in-flight feeding, including brief ascents at dawn and potentially aligned with peak activity, though overall activity patterns indicate sustained throughout the day and night under favorable conditions.

Social and roosting behavior

The Alpine swift (Tachymarptis melba) is highly social, frequently forming loose flocks during migration and activities outside the breeding season. These flocks typically consist of dozens to hundreds of individuals, though they are generally smaller than those of the (Apus apus) during migration, with observations of up to 10,000 birds passing through narrow corridors like the Belen Pass in . Such group formations facilitate efficient aerial navigation and insect detection, with birds exhibiting synchronized low-altitude flights characterized by powerful, deep wing beats. Social interactions among Alpine swifts include aggressive defense of individual nest sites during the breeding period, where adults perform threat displays by raising their wings to expose sharp claws and feet, sometimes escalating to physical fights if intruders persist after eggs are laid. However, tolerance is evident in non-breeding contexts, particularly at communal roosts, where birds gather without reported , reflecting the ' colonial tendencies that extend beyond breeding colonies. Pair bonds are monogamous and long-lasting, with records of bonds persisting for at least 11 years, and birds often returning to the same sites annually to reunite with mates. Roosting occurs communally at dusk on vertical surfaces such as cliffs, caves, or building facades, where swifts cling using their strong feet and engage in to maintain . During the non-breeding season in , adults often remain airborne for extended periods—up to six months continuously—roosting in flight through prolonged gliding with minimal activity to conserve , a supported by geolocator showing no significant ground contact. Nestlings, in contrast, employ daily by lowering body temperature during inclement weather to endure periods without parental feeding, an that enhances survival in variable mountain environments.

Conservation

Status and threats

The Alpine swift (Tachymarptis melba) is classified as Least Concern on the , with the most recent assessment in 2024 confirming a stable global population that does not approach vulnerability thresholds. The global population is estimated at 2,160,000–4,870,000 mature individuals, while in it comprises approximately 323,000–726,000 breeding pairs, representing about 30% of the global breeding population. Population trends are monitored by , showing overall stability but with local declines in parts of ; for example, short-term trends indicate a 15–44% decrease in from 2007–2018, and long-term declines of 10–30% in from 1980–2018. Key threats to the species include habitat loss from human development, particularly quarrying and exploitation of cliff sites used for nesting, which reduces available breeding crevices in mountainous regions. Additionally, widespread pesticide use diminishes aerial insect populations, directly impacting the swift's foraging efficiency as an obligate aerial insectivore. Climate change may affect migration patterns, with studies investigating the species' behavioral flexibility in response to environmental changes. In Switzerland, an emerging disease, avian trypanosomiasis, has been linked to mass nestling mortality, potentially contributing to local population declines.

Conservation measures

The Alpine swift benefits from legal protections under the general provisions of the EU Birds Directive, which mandates the safeguarding of all naturally occurring wild bird species and their across member states. This framework supports habitat management and prohibits deliberate disturbance or capture, contributing to the species' overall stability in . Additionally, the bird is listed in Appendix II of the Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, requiring signatory countries to implement strict protection measures, including and regulation of trade. Key breeding sites, particularly cliff habitats in the Spanish Pyrenees, fall within protected areas such as national parks and biosphere reserves, where land-use restrictions help preserve nesting ledges and foraging grounds. For instance, the Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park encompasses suitable alpine cliffs that support local populations. In urban and semi-urban settings, artificial nest boxes and embedded structures are deployed to compensate for habitat loss from building renovations, providing secure crevices mimicking natural sites. In Switzerland, the Ornithological Institute's conservation program has installed such nest units in buildings since 2011, promoting occupancy in cities like Locarno, where 20 boxes supported up to 10 breeding pairs by 2011. Similar efforts in Italy involve retaining or creating ventilation slots and cracks during renovations, as guided by biodiversity protocols from organizations like Monumenti Vivi, ensuring colonies persist in historic structures. Ongoing research enhances conservation through tracking studies that map migration routes and behaviors, revealing the species' reliance on African wintering grounds. Geolocator deployments since 2013 have documented extended non-stop flights of up to 200 days over , informing protection needs. More recent multi-sensor tracking, including 2023 analyses of flight profiles, links aerial habits to environmental cues like , aiding in the identification of critical stopover sites. monitoring initiatives, proposed to evaluate effects on prey availability, complement these efforts by assessing quality in breeding ranges. Conservation successes demonstrate the efficacy of targeted interventions, such as nest restoration during urban developments. In , , building renovations in since 2010 incorporated swift-friendly designs, maintaining a breeding colony established in 2005. In and adjacent regions, nest unit installations and habitat retention have stabilized local populations, with monitored colonies showing sustained occupancy and no reported declines post-intervention. These measures underscore the potential for recovery through integrated and enhancement.

References

  1. https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Tachymarptis_melba/
  2. https://www.vogelwarte.ch/en/birds-of-switzerland/alpine-swift/
  3. https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/alpswi1/cur/introduction
  4. https://www.bto.org/learn/about-birds/birdfacts/alpine-swift
  5. https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/alpine-swift-tachymarptis-melba
  6. https://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/species.jsp?avibaseid=FA1CAD29
  7. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1055790312000437
  8. https://www.worldbirdnames.com/bird/alpine-swift/4033.html
  9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2012.02.002
  10. http://blascozumeta.com/specie_files/07980_Tachymarptis_melba_E.pdf
  11. https://besgroup.org/2009/08/04/rictal-bristles/
  12. https://ebird.org/species/alpswi1
  13. https://birdwatchingalentejo.com/alpine-swift/
  14. https://xeno-canto.org/species/tachymarptis-melba
  15. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22686774/166220226
  16. https://migrationatlas.org/node/1723
  17. https://datarepository.movebank.org/items/ade7612f-7006-43d9-a98e-36c6248e820b
  18. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10336-025-02337-6
  19. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2690467/
  20. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5847200/
  21. https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/10.1146/annurev.ecolsys.35.021103.105854
  22. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jav.02515
  23. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/ecology-and-evolution/articles/10.3389/fevo.2023.983266/full
  24. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3282373/
  25. https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1365-2656.2003.00734.x
  26. https://eounion.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/AS2-3.pdf
  27. https://www.oiseaux-birds.com/card-alpine-swift.html
  28. https://digital.csic.es/bitstream/10261/57868/1/ardeola.pdf
  29. https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms3554
  30. https://animalia.bio/alpine-swift
  31. https://birdlifedata.blob.core.windows.net/sub-global/1773_tachymarptis_melba.pdf
  32. https://www.vogelwarte.ch/en/projects/how-flexibly-can-alpine-swifts-apus-melba-adjust-their-migration-behaviour-to-a-changing-environment/
  33. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213224423000962
  34. https://eunis.eea.europa.eu/species/1308
  35. https://www.vogelwarte.ch/en/projects/conservation-programme-for-common-swifts-and-alpine-swifts/
  36. https://www.swift-conservation.org/CISC_summary_proceedings-final.pdf
  37. https://files.secure.website/wscfus/9770565/29747435/renovations-swifts-in-italy.pdf
  38. https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2023.0957
  39. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/289956890_Alpine_Swift_Apus_melba_breeding_in_Lindau_Bavaria_since_2005
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.