Wildlifeof Thailand
Himalayan Swiftlet
Apodidae
Photo: (c) Wang.QG, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY (May be cropped or resized)
Aerodramus brevirostris
Basic stats
Diet
Flying insects
Habitat
Mountains, forest and caves
Range
Himalayas to southern China and mainland Southeast Asia
Size
13–14cm
The Himalayan swiftlet is a small dark swift with narrow curved wings, a shallowly forked tail and a paler rump. It ranges from the Himalayas through southern China into mainland Southeast Asia, often over mountains and forest. Flocks catch tiny insects continuously in flight and roost or breed colonially inside caves, using saliva to fasten plant material into their nests (Wikipedia, general species account). It is Nationally Least Concern (Thailand Red Data 2025).
Quick answers
- What does the Himalayan Swiftlet eat?
- Flying insects
- What habitat does the Himalayan Swiftlet live in?
- Mountains, forest and caves
- Where is the Himalayan Swiftlet found?
- Himalayas to southern China and mainland Southeast Asia
- How big is the Himalayan Swiftlet?
- 13–14cm