Wildlifeof Thailand
Cook's Swift
Apodidae
Photo: Christoph Moning · CC BY 4.0 (May be cropped or resized)
Apus cooki
Also known as: Apus pacificus cooki
AviList (2026) treats this bird as a subspecies, Apus pacificus cooki, of the Fork-tailed Swift (Apus pacificus), which is also on this site. IOC lists it as a separate species.
Basic stats
Diet
Flying insects
Habitat
Cliffs, mountains and open country
Range
Mainland Southeast Asia
Size
17–18cm
Cook's swift is a dark, long-winged swift with a shallow forked tail and a contrasting pale rump. Once included with the Pacific swift, it is now treated separately and occurs in mainland Southeast Asia. It breeds on cliffs and ranges over mountains, forest and open country, spending most daylight hours in the air while collecting small flying insects and drinking by skimming the water surface (Wikipedia, general species account). It is Nationally Least Concern (Thailand Red Data 2025).
Quick answers
- What does the Cook's Swift eat?
- Flying insects
- What habitat does the Cook's Swift live in?
- Cliffs, mountains and open country
- Where is the Cook's Swift found?
- Mainland Southeast Asia
- How big is the Cook's Swift?
- 17–18cm