LC
House Swift Apus nipalensis



Taxonomy

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.

IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable
- - -

Red List history
Year Category Criteria
2024 Least Concern
2016 Least Concern
2012 Least Concern
2009 Least Concern
2008 Least Concern
2004 Least Concern
2000 Lower Risk/Least Concern
1994 Lower Risk/Least Concern
1988 Lower Risk/Least Concern
Species attributes

Migratory status not a migrant Forest dependency low
Land-mass type Average mass -
Range

Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) 20,700,000 km2
Severely fragmented? no -
Population
Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
Population size unknown - - -
Population trend increasing - suspected -
Generation length 4.08 years - - -

Population justification: The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is reported to be abundant over most of its range (del Hoyo et al. 1999), while national population estimates include: c.10,000-100,000 breeding pairs in China; c.10,000-100,000 breeding pairs in Taiwan; < c.100 breeding pairs and < c.50 individuals on migration in Korea and c.100-10,000 breeding pairs and c.50-1,000 individuals on migration in Japan (Brazil 2009). The population is suspected to be increasing owing to a range expansion following a similar expansion by its hirundine hosts (del Hoyo et al. 1999).

Trend justification: The population is suspected to be increasing owing to a range expansion following a similar expansion by its hirundine hosts (del Hoyo et al. 1999).


Country/territory distribution
Country/Territory Presence Origin Resident Breeding visitor Non-breeding visitor Passage migrant
Bangladesh extant native yes
Bhutan extant native yes
Brunei extant native yes
Cambodia extant native yes
China (mainland) extant native yes
India extant native yes
Indonesia extant native yes
Japan extant native yes
Laos extant native yes
Malaysia extant native yes
Myanmar extant native yes
Nepal extant native yes
Philippines extant native yes
Singapore extant native yes
South Korea extant native yes
Taiwan, China extant native yes
Thailand extant native yes
Vietnam extant native yes

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Country/Territory IBA Name

Habitats & altitude
Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Artificial/Terrestrial Urban Areas major resident
Forest Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland suitable resident
Forest Subtropical/Tropical Moist Montane suitable resident
Forest Temperate suitable resident
Altitude 0 - 2100 m Occasional altitudinal limits  

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Species factsheet: House Swift Apus nipalensis. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/house-swift-apus-nipalensis on 10/01/2025.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2025) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 10/01/2025.