Bird / Tachymarptis melba
Alpine Swift
Lowest risk
Migratory
The Alpine swift formerly Apus melba, is a species of swift. The genus name is from the Ancient Greek takhus, "fast", and marptis, "seizer". The specific name melba comes from ‘melano-alba’ or ‘mel-alba’; Eigenhuis & Swaab (1992) posited that ‘melba’ might be a short form for ‘melano-alba’ or ‘mel-alba’. Linnaeus certainly referred to these two colors in his diagnosis.
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