Apodidae
Họ Yến

General

The following is based on analysis of dictionaries and other sources. Comments and corrections welcome. Malaysian names are now being updated. For consistency, Vietnamese bird names (except for ducks and chickens) are preceded by the word Chim meaning 'bird'. Ornithological lists mostly omit this as understood. Hover over Green Lettering Green lettering at this site hides a tool tip with glosses, further explanations, etc. Hover cursor to reveal. to see additional information.

The swifts, swiftlets, and treeswifts are known as Chim yến in Vietnamese. This represents a borrowing of the Chinese word 燕 (modern Mandarin pronunciation yàn) meaning 'swallow'. The original meaning 'swallow' still survives in some literary expressions in Vietnamese. (The swallows themselves are referred to as Chim nhạn or Chim én, where én is derived from the same Chinese word as yến. This is a case where the same Chinese word has been borrowed more than once, possibly at different times in history.)

The edible nests of the swiftlets are known as yến sào.

Chữ Nôm

The character used for apodids in the now obsolete Chữ Nôm characters is:

Name	Chữ Nôm Images from the Vietnamese Nôm Preservation Foundation dictionary. (Errors are the sole responsibility of the author of this site)
Yến	(Chinese character for 'swallow').

Species names

HEMIPROCNINAE
SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN		VIETNAMESE		EAST ASIAN		S. E. ASIAN
Hemiprocne
Latin	English/French	Vietnamese	Other V	Chinese	Japanese	Thai	Malaysian	Indonesian
Hemiprocne coronata	Crested treeswift Crested tree swift Crested swift Hémiprocné couronné	Hemiprocne longipennis (12): Chim Yến mào 'crested swift (bird)' (12, 34)		凤头雨燕 (鳳頭雨燕) fèng-tóu yǔ-yàn 'phoenix-headed rain-swallow' (2, 4) Hemiprocne longipennis (1), Hemiprocne coronata (3): 凤头树燕 (鳳頭樹燕) fèng-tóu shù-yàn 'phoenix head tree-swallow'	インドカンムリアマツバメ (インド冠雨燕) indo kanmuri ama-tsubame 'Indian crested rain-swallow' (Wikipedia etc.)	นกแอ่นฟ้าหงอน nók àeen-fáa ŋŏaan 'crested regal-swallow (bird)'
APODINAE
SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN		VIETNAMESE		EAST ASIAN		S. E. ASIAN
Hirundapus
Latin	English/French	Vietnamese	Other V	Chinese	Japanese	Thai	Malaysian	Indonesian
Hirundapus caudacutus Hirundapus caudacuta Chaetura caudacuta	White-throated needletail White-throated spine-tailed swift Spinetail swift Martinet épineux	Chim Yến đuôi cứng hông trắng 'stiff-tailed white-rumped swift (bird)' (12)	Chim Yến đuôi nhọn họng trắng 'sharp-tailed white-throated swift (bird)' (13) Chim Yến họng trắng 'white-throated swift (bird)' (34)	白喉针尾雨燕 (白喉針尾雨燕) bái-hóu zhēn-wěi yǔ-yàn 'white-throated needle-tailed rain-swallow' Taiwan: (白喉针尾雨燕) 白喉針尾雨燕 bái-hóu zhēn-wěi yǔ-yàn 'white-throated needle-tailed rain-swallow'	ハリオアマツバメ (針尾雨燕) hari-o ama-tsubame 'needle-tailed rain-swallow'	นกแอ่นใหญ่คอขาว nók àeen yày kʰoaa-kʰăaw 'white-throated large swallow (bird)'	Burung Layang-layang Leher Putih 'white-necked swallow (bird)' (24, 26) Burung Layang-layang Ekor Runcing Utara 'northern sharp-tailed swallow (bird)' (25)	Burung Kapinis-jarum Asia 'Asian needle-swift (bird)'
Hirundapus cochinchinensis	Silver-backed needletail Grey-throated spinetail swift White-vented spine-tailed swift Needletailed swift White-vented needletail Martinet de Cochinchine	Chim Yến đuôi cứng bụng trắng 'stiff-tailed white-bellied swift (bird)' (12)	Chim Yến đuôi nhọn lưng bạc 'sharp-tailed silvery-backed swift (bird)' (13) Chim Yến lưng bạc 'silvery-backed swift (bird)' (34)	白背针尾雨燕 (白背針尾雨燕) bái-bèi zhēn-wěi yǔ-yàn 'white-backed needle-tailed rain-swallow' (2, 4) 灰喉针尾雨燕 (灰喉針尾雨燕) huī-hóu zhēn-wěi yǔ-yàn 'grey-throated needle-tailed rain-swallow' (1, 3, 5) Taiwan: (灰喉针尾雨燕) 灰喉針尾雨燕 huī-hóu zhēn-wěi yǔ-yàn 'grey-throated needle-tailed rain-swallow'	コシジロハリオアマツバメ (腰白針尾雨燕) koshi-jiro hari-o ama-tsubame 'white-rumped needle-tailed rain-swallow'	นกแอ่นใหญ่หัวตาดำ nók àeen yày hŭa-taa-dam 'black-lored large-swallow (bird)'	Burung Layang-layang Rengkong Putih 'white-throated swallow (bird)' (24, 26) Burung Layang-layang Ekor Runcing Indocina 'Indochinese sharp-tailed swallow (bird)' (25)	Burung Kapinis-jarum Pantat-putih 'white-rumped needle-swift (bird)'
Hirundapus giganteus Hirundapus gigantea	Brown-backed needletail Brown spine-tailed swift Large brown-throated spinetail swift Martinet géant	Chim Yến đuôi cứng lớn 'large stiff-tailed swift (bird)' (12)	Chim Yến lưng nâu 'brown-backed swift (bird)' (34)	褐背针尾雨燕 (褐背針尾雨燕) hè-bèi zhēn-wěi yǔ-yàn 'brown-backed needle-tailed rain-swallow' (4) 褐喉针尾雨燕 (褐喉針尾雨燕) hè-hóu zhēn-wěi yǔ-yàn 'brown-throated needle-tailed rain-swallow' (5)	オオハリオアマツバメ (大針尾雨燕) ō hari-o ama-tsubame 'large needle-tailed rain swallow'	นกแอ่นใหญ่หัวตาขาว nók àeen yày hŭa-taa-kʰăaw 'white-lored large-swallow (bird)'	Burung Layang-layang Besar 'large swallow (bird)' (24, 26) Burung Layang-layang Ekor Runcing Biasa 'common sharp-tailed swallow (bird)' (25)	Burung Kapinis-jarum Gedang 'big needle-swift (bird)'
Aerodramus
Latin	English/French	Vietnamese	Other V	Chinese	Japanese	Thai	Malaysian	Indonesian
Aerodramus brevirostris Collocalia brevirostris	Himalayan swiftlet Indian edible-nest swiftlet Aerodramus rogersi: Indochinese swiftlet Salangane de l'Himalaya	Chim Yến núi 'mountain swift (bird)' (12, 13, 34) Aerodramus rogersi: Chim Yến Đông Dương 'Indochinese swift (bird)' (34)		短嘴金丝燕 (短嘴金絲燕) duǎn-zuǐ jīn-sī-yàn 'short-billed gold-silk swallow'	ヒマラヤアナツバメ (ヒマラヤ穴燕) himaraya ana-tsubame 'Himalayan hole-swallow'	นกแอ่นพันธุ์หิมาลัย nók àeen pʰan hì-maa-lay 'Himalayan species swallow (bird)'	Burung Layang-layang Himalaya 'Himalayan swallow (bird)' (24, 25, 26)	Collocalia brevirostris vulcanorum: Burung Walet Gunung 'mountain swiftlet (bird)'
Aerodramus maximus Collocalia maxima	Black-nest swiftlet Lowe's swiftlet	Chim Yến sào đen 'black-nest swift (bird)' (34)		大金丝燕 (大金絲燕) dà jīn-sī-yàn 'large gold-silk swallow' (4, 5) 方尾金丝燕 (方尾金絲燕) fāng-wěi jīn-sī-yàn 'square-tailed gold-silk swallow' (10)	オオアナツバメ (大穴燕) ō ana-tsubame 'large hole-swallow'
Aerodramus fuciphagus Collocalia fuciphaga (Aerodramus germani= Aerodramus fuciphagus germani)	Edible-nest swiftlet Thunberg's swiftlet Aerodramus germani: German's Swiftlet Salangane à nid blanc	Aerodramus germani (34): Chim Yến hông xám 'grey-rumped swift (bird)' (12, 13, 34)	Aerodramus fuciphagus: Chim Yến hàng 'commercial swift (bird)' (34)	爪哇金丝燕 (爪哇金絲燕) zhǎowā jīn-sī-yàn 'Javanese gold-silk swallow'	ジャワアナツバメ (ジャワ穴燕) jawa ana-tsubame 'Javanese hole-swallow'	Aerodramus germani: นกแอ่นกินรัง nók àeen kin-raŋ 'nest-edible swallow (bird)'	Burung Layang-layang Gua 'cave swallow (bird)' (24, 25, 26) (Conflicts with Indonesian name for Cecropis daurica)	Burung Walet Sarang-putih 'white-nest swiftlet (bird)'
Aerodramus salangana Aerodramus salanganus Collocalia salangana	Mossy-nest swiftlet Mossy swiftlet Salangane de la Sonde	Chim Yến rêu 'moss swift (bird)' (12)		苔巢金丝燕 (苔巢金絲燕) tái-cháo jīn-sī-yàn 'moss-nest gold-silk swallow' (4)	コケアナツバメ (苔穴燕) koke ana-tsubame 'moss hole-swallow'			Burung Walet Sarang-lumut 'moss-nest swiftlet (bird)'
Cypsiurus
Latin	English/French	Vietnamese	Other V	Chinese	Japanese	Thai	Malaysian	Indonesian
Cypsiurus balasiensis	Asian palm swift Palm swift Martinet des palmes	Chim Yến cọ 'palm swift (bird)' (12, 34)		棕雨燕 (棕雨燕) zōng yǔ-yàn 'palm rain-swallow' Taxonomy Taiwan: (棕雨燕) 棕雨燕 zōng yǔ-yàn 'palm rain-swallow'	アジアヤシハリオアマツバメ (アジア椰子針尾雨燕) ajia yashi hari-o ama-tsubame 'Asian palm needle-tailed rain-swallow'	นกแอ่นตาล nók àeen taan '(sugar-)palm swallow (bird)'	Burung Layang-layang Palma 'palm swallow (bird)' (from English 'palm') (26) Burung Layang-layang Asia 'Asian swallow (bird)' (24) Burung Layang-layang Lontar 'palmyra swallow (bird)' (palmyra = a type of palm) (25)	Burung Walet-palem Asia 'Asian palm-swiftlet (bird)' (from Dutch 'palm')
Apus
Latin	English/French	Vietnamese	Other V	Chinese	Japanese	Thai	Malaysian	Indonesian
Apus acuticauda Apus acuticaudus	Dark-rumped Swift Dark-backed Swift Martinet de l'Assam	- Note		暗背雨燕 (暗背雨燕) àn-bèi yǔ-yàn 'dark-backed rain-swallow' (4) 暗背刺尾雨燕 (暗背刺尾雨燕) àn-bèi cì-wěi yǔ-yàn dark-backed spine-tailed rain swallow' (5)	セグロアマツバメ (背黒雨燕) se-guro ama-tsubame 'black-backed rain-swallow'	นกแอ่นท้องลาย nók àeen tʰóaaŋ-laay 'stripe-bellied swallow (bird)'
Apus pacificus	Fork-tailed swift or Pacific swift Large white-rumped swift Larger white-rumped swift Northern white-rumped swift Martinet de Sibérie	Chim Yến hông trắng 'white-rumped swift (bird)' (12, 13, 34)		白腰雨燕 (白腰雨燕) bái-yāo yǔ-yàn 'white-rumped rain-swallow' Taiwan: (叉尾雨燕) 叉尾雨燕 chā-wěi yǔ-yàn 'fork-tailed rain-swallow'	アマツバメ (雨燕) ama-tsubame 'rain-swallow'	นกแอ่นตะโพกขาวหางแฉก nók àeen tà-pʰôok-kʰăaw hăaŋ-cʰàeek 'V-shape-tailed white-rumped swallow (bird)'	Burung Layang-layang Ekor Cabang 'fork-tailed swallow (bird)' (24, 26) Burung Layang-layang Timur 'eastern swallow (bird)' (25)	Burung Kapinis Laut 'sea swift (bird)'
Apus nipalensis	House swift Martinet malais	Apus affinis: Chim Yến cằm trắng 'white-chinned swift (bird)' (12, 13)	Chim Yến Malaysia 'Malaysian swift (bird)' (34)	Apus affinis (1, 3, 5), Apus nipalensis (2, 4): 小白腰雨燕 (小白腰雨燕) xiǎo bái-yāo yǔ-yàn 'small white-rumped rain-swallow' Taiwan: (小雨燕) 小雨燕 xiǎo yǔ-yàn 'small rain-swallow' Taxonomy	ヒメアマツバメ (姫雨燕) hime ama-tsubame 'princess rain-swallow'	Apus affinis: นกแอ่นบ้าน nók àeen bâan 'house swallow (bird)'	Burung Layang-layang Rumah 'house swallow (bird)' (24, 25, 26) (Conflicts with Indonesian name for Delichon dasypus)	Burung Kapinis Rumah 'house swift (bird)'

中国鸟类种和亚种分类名录大全（修订版） 郑作新 著 科学出版社 北京 2000年
A Complete Checklist of Species and Subspecies of the Chinese Birds (Revised Edition) by Cheng Tso-Hsin, Science Press, Beijing 2000

中国鸟类分类与分布名录 主编：郑光美 科学出版社 北京 2005年
A Checklist on the Classification and Distribution of the Birds of China Chief editor: Zheng Guangmei, Science Press, Beijing 2005

中国鸟类野外手册（中文版）约翰・马敬能、卡伦・菲利普斯，合作者：荷芬奇，翻译：卢和芬 湖南教育出版社 长沙 2000年
A Field Guide to the Birds of China (Chinese translation) by John MacKinnon, Karen Phillipps, in collaboration with He Fen-qi, translated by Lu Hefen, Hunan Jiaoyu Chubanshe (Hunan Educational Press) Changsha 2000

世界鸟类分类与分布名录 主编：郑光美 科学出版社 北京 2002年
A Checklist on the Classification and Distribution of the Birds of the World Chief editor: Zheng Guangmei, Science Press, Beijing 2002

世界鸟类名称（拉丁文、汉文、英文对照）第二版 郑作新等 科学出版社 北京 2002年
Birds of the World (Latin, Chinese and English Names) 2nd ed. by Cheng Tso-Hsin et al, Science Press, Beijing 2002

Pocket Checklist of the Birds of the Republic of Singapore / Senai Jenis-Jenis Burung di Singapura / 新加坡野鸟目录 by Lim Kim Seng Nature Society (Singapore) 1999

Danh Lục Chim Việt Nam (In lần thứ hai) (Checklist of the Birds of Vietnam) Võ Quý, Nguyễn Cử, Nhà Xuất Bản Nông Nghiệp, Hà Nội 1999

Chim Việt Nam Nguyễn Cử, Lê Trọng Trải, Karen Phillipps; Nhà Xuất Bản Lao Động - Xã Hội, 2000

Senarai Nama-nama Burung Semenanjung Malaysia dan Asia Tenggara by Ismail, Abdul Rahman, Perhilitan (Jabatam Perlindungan Hidupan Liar dan Taman Negara, Semenanjung Malaysia), Kuala Lumpur 1981
(List of the Names of Birds of Peninsular Malaysia and Southeast Asia by Ismail, Abdul Rahman, Department of Wildlife and National Parks, Peninsular Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 1981)

The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula: Vol. 1 - Non-passerines by Wells, David R., Academic Press, London 1999

A Field Guide to the Birds of West Malaysia and Singapore by Jeyarajasingam, Allen and Alan Pearson, Oxford University Press, Oxford 1999

Danh Lục Các Loài Chim ở Việt Nam (Latinh, Việt, Pháp, Hán) Trần Văn Chánh 2008-2009