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Pallid Swift
(Apus pallidus)
German name(s): "Fahlsegler"
Size: 16-18 cm; wing span 39-44 cm
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Similar species |
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Physical description |
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Click here for a physical description
Pallid Swifts are relatively large swifts.
Their plumage is
all dark-grey, except a large light-grey throat patch. The entire
body plumage has
thin mid-grey edges, leading to a finely vermiculated appearance
when seen close-up. Swifts, as the name suggests, are fast fliers;
accordingly, their wings have the shape of a backward-bent sickle,
which - together with the relatively short, prominently forked
tail - distinguishes them from swallows. In-flight the very short
legs are invisible.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Pallid
Swift at Wikipedia .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed based
on sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to the
ebird.org
website.
The global distribution of the Pallid Swift is available
HERE
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Pallid Swifts are a strongly migratory species; except
when breeding they are continuously on the wing, for up
to 10 months per year.
Their total range extends from islands off North-west
Africa in the West to southern Iran and Oman in the East.
Their breeding grounds are mostly around the Mediterranean,
in Asia Minor, the Middle East and Arabia. Some are found
as far to the North as the British Isles, Denmark and
southern Sweden.
They overwinter in sub-Saharan Africa. Only along the
lower river Nile and in two more areas along the North
coast of Africa there are sedentary populations.
In Europe Pallid Swifts occur as summer breeding migrants only
in near-coastal areas of the northern Mediterranean Sea,
ranging from the southern half of Portugal in the West to
eastern Greece in the East, including the Mediterranean
islands.
During the breeding season Pallid 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, especially stagnant water or in marshy river deltas.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
J. Pires reports finding Pallid Swifts
regularly in the area the Tejo estuary to Mora, Evora, Portugal.
Others were found at Varzea Redonda, Alandroal, Portugal, in
June 2019.
All sighting and photographic information presented on this
page has kindly been contributed by J. Pires.
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Photos |
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ADULT |
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Near-lateral view of a Pallid Swift in flight
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Varzea Redonda, Alandroal, Portugal, June 2019]
Lateral view of a Pallid Swift in flight
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, August 2019]
Lateral view of a Pallid Swift in flight
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, August 2019]
Lateral view of a Pallid Swift in flight
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, July 2019]
Near-dorsal view of a Pallid Swift in flight, wings up
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, July 2019]
Near-dorsal view of a Pallid Swift in flight, wings down
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, July 2019]
Near-dorsal view of a Pallid Swift in flight
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, July 2019]
Near-dorsal/ventral view of a Pallid Swift in flight
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, July 2019]
Social behaviour: Communal |
Mobility: Migratory |
Elementary unit: Pair/flock |
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.