Alpine Swift - Nesting? France (1 Viewer)

So for the last three weeks (3 visits - not daily) seen Alpine Swifts high above the village of Gavarnie in the Pyrenees. Last year I saw a group once but not really in previous years - some reports and a single for me in September.

Up to 10 birds yesterday. They seemed to be flying in pairs 3x2 and 1x4 yesterday. Weather has been perfect on previous visits and cloudy yesterday. Previous thoughts have been that these birds come over from Spain but do not breed. The nearest breeding in France is about 3 hours by car but a lot less for these birds cross country.

How do we prove or when can we assume they are breeding? What month of the year do they breed? How long does this process take? Is it underway now? The thing with Common Swifts is they come, seemingly en mass one day, and they go again seemingly one day!

I can understand the theory that they come from Spain if weather is good here but bad there but yesterday the weather was bad here!

As I said they are high above the village but seem to favour a cliff above the town. This isn't really accessible for closer viewing however, I will make more effort if that is the only way.

Anyway, if anyone has a handle on Alpine Swift behavoir and timings would appreciate some advice. I guess the only indice would be seeing young....

Just like other swifts, look for them screaming low around potential nest holes, and even better, entering them. A swift entering a hole can be taken as proof of breeding ('ON' = 'Occupied Nest', in the BTO's breeding documentation).

Nutcracker said:

Just like other swifts, look for them screaming low around potential nest holes, and even better, entering them. A swift entering a hole can be taken as proof of breeding ('ON' = 'Occupied Nest', in the BTO's breeding documentation).

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I guess that it what I feared - a period of time scoping the cliff! Or worse a hefty climb...

At least anything that disappears into the cliff will be a 'breeder'...

Nutcracker said:

Just like other swifts, look for them screaming

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Or in the case of Alpine, a startling staccato trill - with an almost electronic quality. Here they call a lot around/near the breeding sites but also do on passage in flocks. They like vertical rock crevices, which may possibly help locate potential colonies.

rosbifs said:

Previous thoughts have been that these birds come over from Spain but do not breed. The nearest breeding in France is about 3 hours by car but a lot less for these birds cross country.

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Here in southern Portugal, when its cool and windy on the west coast sea cliff colonies, nesting birds forage far inland - like 100kms+. That's presuming that they aren't from even further away.

rosbifs said:

How do we prove or when can we assume they are breeding? What month of the year do they breed? How long does this process take? Is it underway now? ..

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I think young will be ready to fly very soon here near home (if some aren't already). Early birds appear here in flocks as early as late March but I think breeding doesn't get underway till later (mid April or so). I presume they will be later round your way.

Simon Wates said:

Or in the case of Alpine, a startling staccato trill - with an almost electronic quality.

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Yep, a superb sound! Heard them in Bulgaria & Italy :bounce:

Simon Wates said:

Here in southern Portugal, when its cool and windy on the west coast sea cliff colonies, nesting birds forage far inland - like 100kms+. That's presuming that they aren't from even further away.



I think young will be ready to fly very soon here near home (if some aren't already). Early birds appear here in flocks as early as late March but I think breeding doesn't get underway till later (mid April or so). I presume they will be later round your way.

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That's interesting. I'm not sure when the records begin - if there are some but will ask the question. I have also asked what the pattern is in Lescun, where they are known to breed.

In previous years, I had the thought that birds fledge and leave - I'm guessing they don't need to kick around as once they're up they're up!

I asked the question.

Apparently, Alpine Swift arrive before and breed earlier than Common Swifts. The first Common I say entering a nest this year was the 19th April - last year in air mating 3rd May. I read on wiki that young swifts fly from c.40 days old.

Following on from this it's possible that the first young birds flying could be now! It also follows that the Alpine Swifts could be done dusted and left before mid June...

I think I have some walking to do!

Another note on timing; its always intruiged me that these beauties appear again and again over breeding colonies down here in the Algarve through the late summer and deep into autumn and seem to roost in them. Even as late as mid-October I've seen them at dusk and dawn around colonies at Sagres and small numbers have even appeared into early November. Its a mystery; are they birds that bred here or migrants using colonies for roosting (like House Martins do)?

I sometimes wonder if they go on wide ranging travels post breeding (but before proper long haul migration south) maybe covering vast distances feeding - and periodically re-visit their colonies until they are equator bound.

If you see flocks calling over suitable looking rock faces at dawn or dusk in June I think that is pretty good evidence of breeding there. Of course birds entering would be ideal.

Good luck (of course if you can't face the gruelling hike I won't hold it against you)

rosbifs said:

Apparently, Alpine Swift arrive before and breed earlier than Common Swifts.

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Alpine Swifts breed in the town where I live (St. Gallen, near the northern distribution limit). There arrive roughly one month earlier than Common Swifts and leave also roughly one month later. They can be seen from late March to early October, they breed from Mai until late August.

I think they can travel far to feed, but if you see them circling regularely over the same place, I'd say that's a good indication for breeding. Definite would be see them landing in a cliff/on a building.

Great birds!