Swifts (Apodidae)

Pallid Swift (Apus pallidus) - HBW 5, p. 453

French: Martinet pâle German: Fahlsegler Spanish: Vencejo Pálido
Other common names: Mouse-coloured Swift

Taxonomy: Cypselus pallidus Shelley, 1870, Egypt.
Forms superspecies with A. barbatus, A. berliozi and A. bradfieldi. A. niansae somalicus formerly placed in present species. Three subspecies currently recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

  • brehmorum Hartert, 1901 - W Palearctic from Portugal E to Turkey (except Dalmatian coast), and from Morocco to NW Egypt, including Canary Is and Madeira; winters in Sahel.
  • illyricus Tschusi, 1907 - Dalmatian coast and possibly E Italian coast; winters in Sahel.
  • pallidus (Shelley, 1870) - Banc d’Arguin through Sahara to Middle East and Pakistan; migratory populations winter in Sahel, with limited wintering coastal Pakistan.