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14

Pacific (Fork-tailed) Swift (Apus pacificus) Alternate name(s): "Pacific Swift", "Australian Swift", "White-belted Swift", "Large White-rumped Swift", "Siberian White-rumped Swift", "Migrant Swift" Aboriginal name(s): "wirntjala" [tjapwurrung] Size: 17-18 cm Weight: 26-52 g

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Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Pacific (Fork-tailed) Swifts are large, slender swifts. Their underside (front) is dappled dark grey-brown, with a greyish throat. The long, narrow tail can be seen forked, but is adjustable and sometimes seen as one narrow tip. The underwings show dark-brown coverts and greyish-brown flight feathers. In flight they have the appearance of a narrow sickle. The top side (back) is mostly dark greyish-brown, with a light-grey rump. The flight feathers are darker than the rest of the wings. The bill is very short and the irises are black. The legs and feet are completely invisible in flight. Twitcher's tip Compared with White-throated Needletails, they have a much slimmer appearance. The wing beat is light and usually not audible.

Taxonomy, classification See Fork-tailed Swift at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Fork-tailed Swift is available HERE . Fork-tailed Swifts breed in the northern hemisphere, where they are found in eastern Asia, in eastern Siberia, Japan, Korea, Mongolia and southward throughout central and eastern China and all of South-east Asia. They migrate southwards via the Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and New Guinea to spend the northern winters in Australia. Pacific (Fork-tailed) Swifts, race "pacificus", are non-breeding migrants to Australia from far-eastern Asia. They can appear anywhere along the tropcial North coast, from Exmouth, WA, in the West to Fraser Island, QLD, in the East. To the best of our knowledge, Pacific (Fork-tailed) Swifts never set foot on Australian soil. They are found in the air above the tropical North of the continent, down to the geographic latitude of Exmouth in WA, and above the eastern half of the continent, eastward of about Lake Eyre in SA. In the eastern half of Australia they progress to the far South, including Bass Strait and Tasmania. There are also occasional reports of sightings in the western half and the South coast of WA. Pacific (Fork-tailed) Swifts are observed above a variety of habitats on the ground, from coastal and urban areas to the open plains of the semi-arid interior.

Sightings Click here for sighting information A Pacific (Fork-tailed) Swift was first spotted by us at Eulah Creek, 20 km East of Narrabri, NSW, in December 2006. They were not found again at the same location until November 2018. A large, extended flock stretching from Eulah Creek to Narrabri Lake, over a distance of 25 km and comprising hundreds of birds, was found by us in March 2019. C. Hayne reports that Pacific (Fork-tailed) Swifts are spotted occasionally in the Moree township, where they have a preference for open areas. Seen more often at Whittaker's Lagoon, 20 km West of Moree, and farther downstream along the Mehi River. They are spotted most regularly during periods of clear skies (e.g. April 2009, November 2011, October-December 2012, February 2013). In February 2013, a flock of about 30 Pacific (Fork-tailed) Swifts were observed together with at least 3 White-throated Needletails (which are rarely found above the open plains). They are spotted more regularly around Ashley, NSW, with several sightings every season and in January 2014 also at Terry Hie Hie, NSW. Hundreds of Fork-tailed Swifts were seen by C. Hayne again above the township of Moree in November 2014. In December 2012 approximately 20 Pacific (Fork-tailed) Swifts were observed by us hunting in an updraught on the western slopes of the Nandewar Range, Mt. Kaputar NP, at an altitude of about 1600 m, together with a flock of roughly 200 White-browed Woodswallows. H. Mouritsen spotted 4 Pacific (Fork-tailed) Swifts at Kakadu NP in October 2015. In March 2016 we spotted a small number of Pacific (Fork-tailed) Swifts at Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW. B. Hensen reports spotting Pacific (Fork-tailed) Swifts above Tiwi, NT, in October 2018 and above Nakara, Darwin, NT, in November 2018.

Photos

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Pacific (Fork-tailed) Swift in flight
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2019]

Ventral view of a Pacific (Fork-tailed) Swift in flight
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2019]

Near-lateral/ventral Pacific (Fork-tailed) Swift (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
[Whittaker's Lagoon, 20 km West of Moree, NSW, February 2013]

Lateral/ventral view of a Pacific (Fork-tailed) Swift in flight
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2018]

Lateral/ventral view of a Pacific (Fork-tailed) Swift in flight; this bird may be flying with dangling feet
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2019]

Lateral view of a Pacific (Fork-tailed) Swift, showing the speed at which the bird was flying (and the difficulty of tracking it)
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2019]

Lateral view of a Pacific (Fork-tailed) Swift in flight, wings down (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Tiwi, NT, October 2018]

Lateral view of a Pacific (Fork-tailed) Swift in flight, wings up (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Tiwi, NT, October 2018]

Dorsal/ventral view of a Pacific (Fork-tailed) Swift in flight
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2018]

Ventral view of a moulting Pacific (Fork-tailed) Swift that is missing some of its primaries (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
[Terry Hie Hie, NSW, January 2014]

Overview of Pacific (Fork-tailed) Swifts circling together
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2019]

Distant overview of a flock of Pacific (Fork-tailed) Swifts
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2019]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal

Mobility: Migratory

Elementary unit: FLock

Pacific (Fork-tailed) Swifts hunting together with a flock of White-browed Woodswallows
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, December 2012]

Examples of how Pacific (Fork-tailed) Swifts can shape their tails: forked, top, partly fanned, centre, and fully fanned, bottom
(photos courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Tiwi, NT, October 2018]

Pacific (Fork-tailed) Swifts have been observed by us hunting together with White-browed Woodswallows.

Pacific (Fork-tailed) Swifts hunting together with a flock of White-browed Woodswallows
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, December 2012]

Food, Diet

Like other swifts, Pacific (Fork-tailed) Swifts are insect hunters. They catch and devour their prey on the wing.

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

ftswift_20190310_4.m4a	(NW NSW)	Contact call(?)	© MD
ftswift_20190310_1.m4a	(NW NSW)	Contact calls(?)	© MD
ftswift_20190310_2.m4a	(NW NSW)	Contact calls(?)	© MD
ftswift_20190310_5.m4a	(NW NSW)	Contact calls(?)	© MD
ftswift_20190310_6.m4a	(NW NSW)	Contact calls(?)	© MD
ftswift_20190310_7.m4a	(NW NSW)	Contact calls(?)	© MD

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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Disclaimer: Comments are always welcome. We give no guarantee that the information presented on these pages is always correct or up-to-date. External links are marked as such and we take no responsibility for the contents of external pages. All images on this site are protected by copyright & used by permission of the respective owners. If you wish to reproduce them or any of the material presented on this web site, please contact us: We hereby acknowledge the original custodians of the land which is described on these pages, including the Gomeroi/Gamilaraay people of the North-west Slopes and Plains of NSW, and the traditional owners of other lands and nations within this country. We acknowledge elders past, present and emerging. Sovereignty was never ceded.          Last updated: Fri, 25 March 2022, 7:11 +00:00