Photo: Robert Wienand, Chloorkop, South Africa / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Horus Swift
Apus horus
Horus Swift (Apus horus) — Swifts of Africa.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Horus Swift (Apus horus) is a member of the Apodidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 27.4 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 horus
Where it lives
Nigeria and Cameroon to Ethiopia through eastern DR Congo and Zambia to South Africa. Also southwestern Angola.
Quick facts
- Weight
- 27.4 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Apodidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Data Deficient
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Horus Swift is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense scrub and shrubland, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Horus Swift is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Horus Swift (Apus horus) belongs to the Apodidae family of the order Apodiformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Nigeria and Cameroon to Ethiopia through e DR Congo and Zambia to South Africa. Also sw Angola.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 27.4 g, with a wing length of about 15 cm and a tail of around 5.7 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 2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Horus Swift?
The Horus Swift is a small bird that weighs around 27.4 g.
Where does the Horus Swift live?
The Horus Swift is found across Africa with a range covering AF Nigeria and Cameroon to Ethiopia through e DR Congo and Zambia to South Africa. Also sw Angola, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Horus Swift belong to?
The Horus Swift (Apus horus) belongs to the Apodidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the Horus Swift eat?
The Horus Swift is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Horus Swift migrate?
The Horus Swift is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Horus 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 Horus Swift make?
1 real field recording of the Horus Swift — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Horus Swift's range?
The Horus Swift has a mapped global range of about 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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