Text extracted from Gill B.J.; Bell, B.D.; Chambers, G.K.; Medway, D.G.; Palma, R.L.; Scofield, R.P.; Tennyson, A.J.D.; Worthy, T.H. 2010. Checklist of the birds of New Zealand, Norfolk and Macquarie Islands, and the Ross Dependency, Antarctica. 4th edition. Wellington, Te Papa Press and Ornithological Society of New Zealand. Pages 269-271.

Order APODIFORMES: Swifts, Hummingbirds and Owlet-nightjars The monophyly of the Caprimulgiformes has long been questioned, as reviewed by Mayr (2002). That Aegotheles does not belong in this order was clearly stated in a generally overlooked study of cranial morphology (Simonetta 1967), in which Aegotheles was found to be more closely related to basal or primitive apodids than to caprimulgids. The differences were so profound that Simonetta erected Aegothelae for the genus (Simonetta 1967: 31). Sibley et al. (1988) also placed Aegotheles at subordinal level, based on DNA evidence, calling the group Aegotheli, apparently unaware of Simonetta’s name (1967). Recent osteological and genetic studies (e.g. Mayr 2002, 2005; Mayr et al. 2003; Barrowclough et al. 2006) provide overwhelming evidence that the Caprimulgiformes (sensu del Hoyo et al. 1999) is paraphyletic, and that Aegothelidae forms a clade with Apodiformes—Hemiprocnidae and Apodidae (swifts) and Trochilidae (hummingbirds)—outside the other members of Caprimulgiformes. Many additional studies (reviewed by Sangster 2005) have supported this relationship. Sangster (2005) gave the non-Linnaean name Daedalornithes for the clade of Apodiformes and Aegotheles, however the relationship can be as easily accommodated by transferring Aegothelae to the Apodiformes (Barrowclough et al. 2006), which suggestion we follow here.

Suborder APODI: Swifts and Treeswifts Family APODIDAE Olphe-Galliard: Swifts Subfamily APODINAE Olphe-Galliard: Swiftlets, Spinetails and Typical Swifts Apodidae Olphe-Galliard, 1887: Contrib. Faune Ornith. Europe Occidentale 22: 90 – Type genus Apus Scopoli, 1777.

Order of species follows Christidis & Boles (1994, 2008) and Schodde (1997c).

Tribe APODINI: Typical Swifts Apodidae Olphe-Galliard, 1887: Contrib. Faune Ornith. Europe Occidentale 22: 90 – Type genus Apus Scopoli, 1777.

Genus Apus Scopoli Apus Scopoli, 1777: Intro. Hist. Nat.: 483 – Type species (by tautonymy) Hirundo apus Linnaeus = Apus apus (Linnaeus). Cypselus Illiger, 1811: Prodromus Syst. Mamm. Avium: 229 – Type species (by subsequent designation) Hirundo apus Linnaeus = Apus apus (Linnaeus).

Apus pacificus (Latham) Fork-tailed Swift Breeds in Siberia, China, Japan, Taiwan, Indochina, Malaysia and west to India, Tibet and the Himalayas. Migratory or sedentary. Four subspecies.

Apus pacificus pacificus (Latham) Fork-tailed Swift Hirundo pacifica Latham, 1802: Index Ornith. Suppl.: lviii – “Nova Hollandia”, restricted to New South Wales, Australia (fide Schodde 1997, Zool. Cat. Australia 37.2: 344). Micropus pacificus Blyth [sic]; Hutton 1904, Index Faunae N.Z.: 37. Cypselus pacificus (Latham); Buller 1905, Suppl. Birds N.Z. 1: 95. Apus pacificus (Latham); Mathews & Iredale 1913, Ibis 1 (10th ser.): 428. Apus pacificus pacificus (Latham); Checklist Committee 1953, Checklist N.Z. Birds: 57. Apus (Apus) pacificus pacificus (Latham); Schodde 1997, Zool. Cat. Australia 37.2: 344.

Breeds in north-east Asia, including Japan and Korea. Winters in New Guinea, Australia and Tasmania from Oct. to Apr. Straggler to New Zealand: more than a dozen records since 1884 from both main islands; also Manawatäwhi / Three Kings (Medway 2001c), Chatham (Guest 1992, Miskelly et al. 2006) and Antipodes Islands (Medway 2003a). Many sightings have been between Oct. and Feb., but others, surprisingly, have been in May, Jun., Jul., Aug. and Sep. Occasional vagrant to Macquarie Island (e.g. Dec. 1958; Gibson 1959). Irregular migrant on Norfolk Island (Schodde et al. 1983).