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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

Similar
species

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

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Fork-tailed Swift at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

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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