Plain Swift

Apus unicolor (Jardine, 1830)

14–15 cmLength22 gWeight

The plain swift (Apus unicolor) is a medium-sized swift.

Busiest months: February · Most records: Spain, Portugal

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Plain Swift has been recorded at 2 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 2 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Charca de MaspalomasSpain967 records
Parque da Cidade do PortoPortugal319 records

Countries and regions with the most records

Spain Portugal

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 plain swift (Apus unicolor) is a medium-sized swift. Although this bird is superficially similar to a barn swallow or house martin, it is not related to those passerine species. The resemblances between the groups are due to convergent evolution reflecting similar life styles.

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

Questions

How big is the Plain Swift?

The Plain Swift is about 14–15 cm long and weighs around 22 g.

Where does the Plain Swift live?

Its breeding range: Africa: Madeira (all islands) and Canary Islands (all islands; north-central to central Macaronesia, northwest of northern Africa); may breed adjacent Moroccan coast. It is most often recorded in Spain and Portugal.

When is the best time to see the Plain Swift?

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

Is the Plain Swift endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Plain Swift as Least Concern.

What does the Plain Swift eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Plain Swift in?

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

At a glance

Length: 14–15 cm
Weight: 22 g
Habitat: Rocky terrain
Diet: Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle: Feeds in the air
Migration: Partial migrant
Conservation: Least Concern

More measurements

Wing: 150 mm
Tail: 70 mm
Bill: 10 mm
Tarsus: 11 mm

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

Range

Africa: Madeira (all islands) and Canary Islands (all islands; north-central to central Macaronesia, northwest of northern Africa); may breed adjacent Moroccan coast

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2