Summary ²

The Alpine Swift (Tachymarptis melba) or Apus melba, is a species of swift. The bird is superficially similar to a large Barn Swallow or House Martin. It is, however, completely unrelated to those passerine species, since swifts are in the order Apodiformes. The resemblances between the groups are due to convergent evolution, reflecting similar life styles.

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Dave Curtis, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), http://www.flickr.com/photos/davethebird/7697548490/
2. (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apus_melba

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Animal Diversity Web
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• VertNet
• Xeno-canto

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