From Opus

Photo by Daniele Occhiato
Photo taken: Calabria, Italy

Apus pallidus

[edit] Identification

16-17 cm.

• Tail is short and forked
• Long swept back wings
• Basically a brown bird with a greyish forehead and dark eye patch
• Large white throat patch.

[edit] Similar Species

Common Swift.

[edit] Distribution

Mainly around the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula and Northern Africa.
In Europe occurs in Portugal (including Madeira), Spain (including the Balearics and the Canary Islands), France (including Corsica), Italy (including Sardinia and Sicily), the Dalmatian Coast, Greece and Cyprus. A small colonoy in Southern Switzerland.
In Africa found in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt and in some oasis in the Sahara. Winters south of the Sahara from Senegal to Ethiopia.
In Asia found in Turkey, the Middle East, the Arabian Peninsula, the Iranian Coast and in Southern Pakistan.
Vagrants recorded in Britain (c.39 but only since 1977), in spring and October-November, mainly in southern England but also north to Shetland. Elsewhere, recorded in Ireland, Belgium and the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark, Hungary, Estonia and Norway.

[edit] Taxonomy

Separation of Apus pallidus from Common Swift Apus apus, is discussed at length here.

There are three races generally recognised.
Nominate pallidus is found from inland North Africa and the Middle East to Iran and Pakistan is pale greyish-brown with extensive white throat.
Brehmorum from the Canary Islands to Cyprus and Turkey including coastal North Africa is darker and browner with a reduced throat patch.
The darkest race is illyricus from around the eastern Adriatic.
Race illyricus has occurred in Denmark as a vagrant and the first Scottish record, in Orkney in 1996, appeared to belong to race brehmorum.

[edit] Habitat

Coastal and river valleys.

[edit] Behaviour

Feeds over open country and towns, breeds in crevices in buildings or cliffs.

[edit] External Links

• View more images of this species on Orientalbirdimages