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 Alpine Swift is available
HERE
.
Alpine Swifts are a mostly migratory, but also partly
sedentary species.
Sedentary populations are found in near-coastal south-western
Africa, the north-eastern part of the East African highlands,
the northern coastal strip of the Hoorn of Africa, on Madagascar,
and along the western coastal strip of India, southern India and
on Sri Lanka.
In addition, migratory populations overwinter in southern
West Africa and in the East African highlands.
A southern migratory population overwinters in/around
Zimbabwe and breeds in eastern South Africa and Lesotho.
The northern migratory populations disperse to southern
Europe, parts of the coastal strip of Arabia, parts
of the Levant (from north-eastern Egypt to Lebanon),
Asia Minor, eastern Iran, and southern central Asia, from
the Black Sea via the Caspian Sea to the Himalayas.
In Europe Alpine Swifts occur as summer breeding migrants
primarily in the southern parts, from around the northern
Mediterranean Sea to the Black Sea.
Their distribution encompasses Iberia, southern France,
the Alps, Italy, the Balkans the coastal areas around the
Black Sea and the Caucasus mountains.
They are also found on basically all islands of the
Mediterranean and the northern Atlantic Ocean.
There are occasional reports of sightings on the northern
side of the Alps, mostly up to the latitude of the Danube
River, and also in the southern half of the British Isles
and Ireland.
During the breeding season Alpine Swifts will be found near
suitable nest sites (rockfaces, ruins, houses, bridges, viaducts),
in the vicinity of good hunting grounds (e.g. near water).
Outside the breeding season their movements will be dominated
by the availability of flying insects, which are often abundant
in wetlands.