Salim Ali's Swift

Salim Ali's swift (Apus salimalii) is a small bird, superficially similar to a 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.

These birds have very short legs which they use only for clinging to vertical surfaces, almost never settling voluntarily on the ground. The scientific name of their genus comes from the Greek απους, apous, meaning "without feet". Salim Ali's swifts spend most of their lives in the air, living on the insects they catch in their beaks.