Photo: Trevor Hardaker, Cape Town, South Africa / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
African Black Swift
Apus barbatus
African Black Swift (Apus barbatus) — Swifts of Africa.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The African Black Swift (Apus barbatus) is a member of the Apodidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 42.8 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Apodiformes
- Family Apodidae Swifts
- Genus Apus
- Species barbatus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 42.8 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Apodidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The African Black Swift is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of rocky terrain, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The African Black Swift is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The African Black Swift (Apus barbatus) belongs to the Apodidae family of the order Apodiformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF s, e.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 42.8 g, with a wing length of about 17.4 cm and a tail of around 7.7 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 1.2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the African Black Swift?
The African Black Swift is a small bird that weighs around 42.8 g.
Where does the African Black Swift live?
The African Black Swift is found across Africa with a range covering AF s, e, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the African Black Swift belong to?
The African Black Swift (Apus barbatus) belongs to the Apodidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the African Black Swift eat?
The African Black Swift is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the African Black Swift migrate?
The African Black Swift is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the African Black Swift endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the African Black Swift make?
1 real field recording of the African Black Swift — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the African Black Swift's range?
The African Black Swift has a mapped global range of about 1.2 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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