Cape Verde Swift (Apus alexandri)
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Cape Verde Swift

Apus alexandri Hartert, EJO, 1901

39 gWeight

The Cape Verde swift or Alexander's swift (Apus alexandri) is a small bird of the swift family found only in the Cape Verde Islands.

Busiest months: April · Most records: Cape Verde

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Cape Verde Swift has been recorded at 10 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 1 country or region.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Barragem de PoilãoCape Verde84 records
  2. Mindelo WTPCape Verde58 records
  3. Barragem de FavetaCape Verde55 records
More places
  1. Jardim BotânicoCape Verde44 records
  2. Tarrafal – Sewage PondsCape Verde31 records
  3. Sal – Santa MariaCape Verde10 records
  4. Rabil LagoonCape Verde4 records
  5. Achada Fazenda lagoonCape Verde3 records
  6. Zone Humide de LacacãoCape Verde2 records
  7. Ilhéu RasoCape Verde1 record

Countries and regions with the most records

Cape Verde

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The Cape Verde swift or Alexander's swift (Apus alexandri) is a small bird of the swift family found only in the Cape Verde Islands. It has been recorded from all the islands except Santa Luzia although it probably breeds only on Santiago, Fogo, Brava, Santo Antão and São Nicolau. It is generally common with a stable population and is not considered to be threatened.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Cape Verde Swift?

The Cape Verde Swift weighs around 39 g.

Where does the Cape Verde Swift live?

Its breeding range: Africa: Cape Verde Islands (all islands; southern Macaronesia, west of northern Africa). It is most often recorded in Cape Verde.

When is the best time to see the Cape Verde Swift?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in April (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Cape Verde Swift endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Cape Verde Swift as Least Concern.

What does the Cape Verde Swift eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Cape Verde Swift in?

It belongs to the family Swifts (Apodidae), order Apodiformes.

At a glance

Weight
39 g
Habitat
Rocky terrain
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Feeds in the air
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
138 mm
Tail
54 mm
Bill
9 mm
Tarsus
9 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: Cape Verde Islands (all islands; southern Macaronesia, west of northern Africa)

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Swifts Apodidae
Genus
Apus

Other birds in the genus Apus

Common SwiftCommon SwiftApus apusPlain SwiftPlain SwiftApus unicolorNyanza SwiftNyanza SwiftApus niansaePallid SwiftPallid SwiftApus pallidusAfrican Black SwiftAfrican Black SwiftApus barbatusMalagasy Black SwiftMalagasy Black SwiftApus balstoniForbes-Watson's SwiftForbes-Watson's SwiftApus berlioziBradfield's SwiftBradfield's SwiftApus bradfieldiPacific SwiftPacific SwiftApus pacificusBlyth's SwiftBlyth's SwiftApus leuconyxCook's SwiftCook's SwiftApus cookiDark-rumped SwiftDark-rumped SwiftApus acuticauda
Cape Verde Swift

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