Alpine swift

    Apus melba

Castilian: Vencejo real

Catalan: Ballester

Gallego: Andoriñón real

Euskera: Malkar-sorbeltza

CLASIFICACIÓN:

Orden: Apodiformes

Family: Apodidae

Migratory status: Summer resident

CONSERVATION STATUS:

On the National List of Threatened Species, it appears in the “Of Special Interest” category. In the 2004 edition of the Red Book of Spanish Birds (Libro Rojo de las Aves de España) it is listed as “Not Evaluated”.

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THREATS

It is not a threatened species; the only thing that should be mentioned are the disturbances occuring in breeding areas if they are are buildings or bridges, and the use of pesticides.

Length / size: 21 cm / 57 cm

Identification: It is one of the largest swifts, with its characteristic crossbow shape. Its bill and legs are very short, its tail is slightly forked, and its wings are very long and narrow. It is an olive brown colour, with its wings darker than the rest, and has two defined white areas on its throat and belly that are separated by a brownish collar. It spends most of its life flying together with other specimens.

Song: It makes a long, slow, high-pitched "tee tee tee teeteeeteetee" trill.

Diet: It eats in flight with its mouth open like a butterfly net; its most common prey are bugs, wasps, ants, and spiders. If other swifts are present, it hunts at a higher altitude.

Reproduction: It begins in April/May and the species is colonial. The nest is placed in hollow cavities and cracks in rocks or buildings, and is made of feathers that are stuck together using plant matter and saliva. They copulate both in flight and in the nest.

HABITAT

It does not depend on vegetation, but it is limited by the existence of nesting sites. It can live on marine or inland cliffs and human structures, such as bridges and dams. It usually breeds from sea level up to an altitude of 1,700 metres in the Baetic mountain ranges and 1,900 metres in the Pyrenees.

DISTRIBUTION

In Spain: It nests in the Balearic Islands, Melilla and the peninsula, with an almost even distribution in the eastern half.

In Castile and León: Its distribution is scattered and localised, with the largest concentrations located in the cliffs of the Rivers Arlanza, Ebro and Rudrón (Burgos) and the Duero, Huebra and Agueda (Zamora-Salamanca).

Movements and migrations: The European population winters in equatorial Africa. Betwen March and October, and sometimes in February and November, they can be seen in our latitudes.

POPULATION

In Spain: There is an estimated population of 30000-50000 breeding pairs.

In Castile and León: There is an estimated population of 400-600 breeding pairs.