The Alpine Swift
 Morris's British Birds 1891
 Scanned by www.BirdCheck.co.uk

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Image Title: Alpine Swift
Description: Alpine Swift (Apus melba)

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Status and distribution Widespread and fairly common around the Mediterranean. Breeds in much of Spain, the Balearics and parts of coastal Portugal, southern France and the Alps, Corsica, Sardina, Sicily and much of Italy. Also found through much of the western Balkans but patchily in the east, on Crete, many other Greek islands and Cyprus. Widespread in Turkey, the Caucasus and Crimea and breeds locally in the Middle East and in North-West Africa.

Migratory, leaving breeding areas Sep-early Oct and wintering in sub-Saharan Africa. Return movement is mainly in Apr.

Annually recorded north to British Is (>500 records), mainly on east & south coasts in Mar-Nov with peaks in May-Jun and Sep-Oct. Vagrants also recorded in Scandinavia and most northern European countries, west to Madeira and East to Iraq.

Subspecies Nominate melba occurs over European range and in northern Morocco, in the south of Morocco and throughout remainder of North Africa to South-West Asia it is replaced by the paler and greyer tuneti but intermediates occur over large areas.

Habitat Breeds on tall buildings and crevies in cliff faces, feeds over virtually any kind of country with flying insects.