Photo: Derek Keats from Johannesburg, South Africa / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
White-rumped Swift
Apus caffer
White-rumped Swift (Apus caffer) — Swifts of Europe & Northern Asia.
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The White-rumped Swift (Apus caffer) is a member of the Apodidae family found in Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 22.1 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 caffer
Where it lives
Southern Iberian Peninsula, central Morocco, and sub-Saharan Africa
Quick facts
- Weight
- 22.1 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Apodidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The White-rumped 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 White-rumped Swift is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The White-rumped Swift (Apus caffer) belongs to the Apodidae family of the order Apodiformes. Its range spans Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL, AF s Iberian Peninsula, c Morocco, and sub-Saharan Africa.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 22.1 g, with a wing length of about 14.5 cm and a tail of around 7.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 12.5 million km² — a very large global range.
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White-rumped Swift?
The White-rumped Swift is a small bird that weighs around 22.1 g.
Where does the White-rumped Swift live?
The White-rumped Swift is found across Africa and Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL, AF s Iberian Peninsula, c Morocco, and sub-Saharan Africa, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the White-rumped Swift belong to?
The White-rumped Swift (Apus caffer) belongs to the Apodidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the White-rumped Swift eat?
The White-rumped Swift is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the White-rumped Swift migrate?
The White-rumped Swift is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the White-rumped 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.
How large is the White-rumped Swift's range?
The White-rumped Swift has a mapped global range of about 12.5 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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