Apodiformes has over 400 bird species and out of these about sixteen are found in India. Traditionally Apodiformes have contained three families: Apodidae (swifts and swiftlets), Hemiprocnidae (treeswifts) and Trochilidae (hummingbirds). But in the Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy, the largest family Trochilidae (319 species) has been separated from Apodiformes to form a new order Trochiliformes. Birds belonging to Trochilidae or Trochiliformes are not found in India.

Birds belonging to the Apodiformes order are small to very small, with short legs, tiny feet and a short humerus. In addition, they have long primaries and short secondaries as adaptations for their characteristic flying method. Their eggs are white, elongated and rounded at both ends. The altricial young hatch blind and naked.

Family: Apodidae (Cypseloidinae, Apodinae. world total: 99 species)

Sub-family: Apodinae (tribes Collocaliini, Chaeturini and Apodini)

Apodini

Dark-rumped Swift Apus acuticauda - local resident
Common Swift Apus apus - local resident
Fork-tailed Swift Apus pacificus - widespread resident

Collocaliini

Himalayan Swiftlet Collocalia brevirostris - local resident
Glossy Swiftlet Collocalia esculenta - local resident
Edible-nest Swiftlet Collocalia fuciphaga - local resident
Indian Swiftlet Collocalia unicolor - widespread resident

Chaeturini

Asian Palm-Swift Cypsiurus balasiensis - widespread resident
White-throated Needletail Hirundapus caudacutus - s
Silver-backed Needletail Hirundapus cochinchinensis - local resident
Brown-backed Needletail Hirundapus giganteus - widespread resident
Alpine Swift Tachymarptis melba - widespread resident
White-rumped Spinetail Zoonavena sylvatica - widespread resident

Family: Hemiprocnidae (world total: 4 species)

Crested Treeswift Hemiprocne coronata - widespread scarce resident