Pallid Swift

Apus pallidus (Shelley, 1870) II PALSW 7960
Family: Apodiformes > Apodidae

Pallid Swift, Philip Croft

Difficult to distinguish from Common Swift, this is a rare visitor to Britain perhaps because it is a short-distance migrant breeding from the Mediterranean to Persian Gulf and wintering in the Sahel (and possibly Pakistan in the case of eastern populations).

Select a topic for more facts and statistics about the Pallid Swift

  • Breeding
  • Winter
808 records observations recorded by BTO surveyors
808 records

BTO RECORDS

808 records observations recorded by BTO surveyors
808 records

BTO RECORDS

Identification

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Status and Trends

Population size and trends and patterns of distribution based on BTO surveys and atlases with data collected by BTO volunteers.

CONSERVATION STATUS

This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.

POPULATION SIZE

We have no population estimates for this scarce species.

DISTRIBUTION

This species is a rare vagrant and was recorded during Bird Atlas 2007–11 as shown on the map.

Pallid Swift breeding distribution 2008-11
Britain and Ireland Breeding Distribution 2008-2011.
More from the Atlas Mapstore.

Occupied 10-km squares in UK

European Distribution Map

European Breeding Bird Atlas 2

Movement

Information about movement and migration based on online bird portals (e.g. BirdTrack), Ringing schemes and tracking studies.

RINGING RECOVERIES

View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report.

Biology

Lifecycle and body size information about Pallid Swift, including statistics on nesting, eggs and lifespan based on BTO ringing and nest recording data.

PRODUCTIVITY & NESTING

Sample sizes are too small to report Productivity and Nesting statistics for this species.

BIOMETRICS

Sample sizes are too small to report Biometrics for this species.

Feather measurements and photos on featherbase

CODES & CLASSIFICATION

For information in another language (where available) click on a linked name

Welsh: Coblyn Gwelw
Catalan: falciot pàl·lid
Czech: rorýs šedohnedý
Danish: Gråsejler
Dutch: Vale Gierzwaluw
Estonian: randpiiritaja e. rand-piirpääsuke
Finnish: vaaleakiitäjä
French: Martinet pâle
German: Fahlsegler
Hungarian: halvány sarlósfecske
Icelandic: Fölsvölungur
Irish: Gabhlán Bánlíoch
Italian: Rondone pallido
Latvian: bala svire
Lithuanian: blyškusis ciurlys
Norwegian: Gråseiler
Polish: jerzyk blady
Portuguese: andorinhão-pálido
Slovak: dáždovník plavý
Slovenian: bledi hudournik
Spanish: Vencejo pálido
Swedish: blek tornseglare

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