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White-rumped Swift

Apus caffer

Least Concern
Envergure
29,0 cm
Poids
23,0 g
Famille
Apodidae
Ordre
Caprimulgiformes
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À propos

A small swift (14 cm) found across sub-Saharan Africa and the Iberian Peninsula. Dark plumage with a white rump and throat patch. Aerial insectivore. Famously uses the mud nests of other swallows and martins, adding its own feather and saliva lining. A brood parasite of nest architecture.

Physical Description

Measurement Value Imperial
Envergure 29,0 cm 11.4 in
Poids 23,0 g 0.81 oz

Identification

Plumage

Dark sooty-brown; narrow elongated white rump patch; white throat; underparts dark; forked tail; African species; narrower and more elongated white rump than Little Swift; deeply forked tail unlike the square tail of Little Swift.

Habitat & Range

Répartition géographique

Breeds in southern Europe and North Africa east to Central Asia. Migratory; winters in sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal south to South Africa.

Diet & Feeding

Aerial insectivore taking small flying insects and spiders; may forage at great heights following thermal columns.

Statut de conservation

Least Concern
IUCN Red List

Comportement et reproduction

Nidification

Nest type: HC,O. Incubation: 21-22 days. Fledging: 42-46 days.

Taille de la couvée

1-3

Son

Chant

Deep, guttural churring with resonant buzzing quality; prolonged low-frequency trill vibrating persistently through dense foliage.

Taxonomie

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Aves
Ordre Caprimulgiformes (Nightjars & Swifts)
Famille Apodidae (Swifts)
Genus Apus
Espèces Apus caffer

Distribution

White-rumped Swift has been recorded in 3 countries.

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Présent Not recorded
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countries highlighted

External Databases

Foire aux questions

What does the White-rumped Swift eat?
Aerial insectivore taking small flying insects and spiders; may forage at great heights following thermal columns.
Where does the White-rumped Swift live?
Breeds in southern Europe and North Africa east to Central Asia. Migratory; winters in sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal south to South Africa.
Is the White-rumped Swift endangered?
The White-rumped Swift has a conservation status of Least Concern.
How does the White-rumped Swift nest?
Nest type: HC,O. Incubation: 21-22 days. Fledging: 42-46 days.
What does the White-rumped Swift sound like?
Deep, guttural churring with resonant buzzing quality; prolonged low-frequency trill vibrating persistently through dense foliage.
How big is the White-rumped Swift?
The White-rumped Swift has a wingspan of 29.0 cm, weight of 23.0 g.
What order and family does the White-rumped Swift belong to?
The White-rumped Swift (Apus caffer) belongs to the order Caprimulgiformes and the family Apodidae.

Similar Birds

Other species in the Apodidae family

Comparer

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