"LC"@en . . . . "The Alpine swift (Tachymarptis melba) formerly Apus melba, is a species of swift in the Apodidae family. The genus name is from the Ancient Greek takhus, \"fast\", and marptis, \"seizer\". The specific melba has no known explanation. Alpine swifts breed in mountains from southern Europe to the Himalaya. Like common swifts, they are strongly migratory, and winter much further south in southern Africa."@en . . "240"^^ . . . . . . . . . . . . . "Alpine Swift"@en . . . . "Tachymarptis melba"@en . . . . . . "Alpine Swift"@en . "southern Europe to the Himalaya and winter much further south in southern Africa."@en . . . "Least Concern"@en . "The Alpine swift (Tachymarptis melba) formerly Apus melba, is a species of swift in the Apodidae family. The genus name is from the Ancient Greek takhus, \"fast\", and marptis, \"seizer\". The specific melba has no known explanation. Alpine swifts breed in mountains from southern Europe to the Himalaya. Like common swifts, they are strongly migratory, and winter much further south in southern Africa. Swifts have very short legs which are used for clinging to vertical surfaces. They never settle voluntarily on the ground, spending most of their lives in the air living on the insects they catch in their beaks. Alpine swift are able to stay aloft in the air for up to seven months at a time, even drinking water \"on the wing\"."@en . . . . . . . . . .