It is superficially similar to a house martin, but completely unrelated to those passerine species, as swifts are in the order Apodiformes.

The resemblances between the groups are due to convergent evolution reflecting similar life styles.

The common name commemorates Edward Blyth (1810–1873), English zoologist and Curator of the Museum of the Asiatic Society of Bengal.

A 2011 study has many taxonomists splitting this species from the fork-tailed swift complex.

They can be distinguished from a partially leucistic common swift by the deeper tail fork, longer wings, bigger head and larger white throat patch.