From Opus

Photo by Francksan
Hokkaido/Japan

Alternative name: Pacific Swift

Apus pacificus

[edit] Identification

Medium large, with deeply forked tail, sexes similar, races differ by shade of color. Upperparts blackish brown with a slight greenish gloss, rump and sides to rump white; chin and throat white; rest of underparts black with feathers tipped white creating a scaly effect. Bill and legs black; eye brown.

[edit] Distribution

Migrates to South India, Sumatra, Java, Lesser Sundas, Sulawesi, Moluccas, New Guinea and Australia, breeds Himalayas east to southern Siberia and Japan and south through SE Asia, China, Taiwan, Ryukyus, and the Philippines.
Vagrants have been recorded in the european part of Russia, in Britain, Alaska and on Macquarie Island.
Common in most of its range and not globally threatened.

[edit] Taxonomy

Forms a superspecies with Dark-rumped Swift with wich it was considered conspecific.
Four subspecies recognized:

• A.p.cooki in SE Asia
• A.p. leuconyx in the Himalayas and Assam
• A.p. kanoi in Tibet and east to Taiwan
• A.p. pacificus in Siberia, N China and Japan

[edit] Habitat

Preferred habitats include mountains and human habitations, usually near water.

[edit] Behaviour

Highly gregarious, high flying and fast, this swift can be found flying over towns and sea coasts as well as forested mountains.
Feeds on various insects, taken in flight.
Breeds in spring, exact time differing over range. From March to May in Nepal, in Japan from June to August. Nests in colonies on cliff walls, building a half-cup, made with plant parts and agglutinated together with saliva. Does sometimes use old nests of Nepal House-Martins. Lays 1 to 3 eggs.
Northern birds are long-distance migrants, wintering mainly in Indonesia and Australia. Southern populations are short-distance migrants or even residents (subspecies cooki).

[edit] External Links

• View more images in the ABID
• View more images of this species on Orientalbirdimages