Learn what every symbol on the card means.Full credits and sources at beakbrain.com/symbols
RockyCup nestSmall · 43 g
ID tip
The African black swift is 16–18 cm (6.3–7.1 in) long and bulky like a pallid swift; it appears entirely blackish-brown except for a small white or pale grey patch on the chin which is not visible from a distance. It has a short forked tail and very long swept-back wings that resemble a crescent or a boomerang. This species is very similar to the common swift but can be distinguished under optimum viewing conditions by the contrast between its black back and paler secondary wing feathers.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
When to see the African Black Swift
One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 9 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is December, the month with the most records.
Where to see the African Black Swift
The map shades 21 countries with regular records, and 1 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.
Recorded as a rare visitor in France.
About the African Black Swift
The African black swift, also known as the African swift or black swift, is a medium-sized bird in the swift family. It breeds in Africa discontinuously from Liberia, Cameroon, Zaire, Uganda and Kenya southwards to South Africa. The "black swifts" of Madagascar and the Comoros are either taken as two subspecies of the African black swift, or otherwise deemed a full species, the Malagasy black swift.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Easily confused with
Fork-tailed SwiftApus pacificusAt 17–18 cm (6.7–7.1 in) in length, the Pacific swift is the largest of the Apus swifts.
Plain SwiftApus unicolorThe plain swift is a medium-sized swift.
Horus SwiftApus horusThe Horus swift is 13–15 cm (5.1–5.9 in) long and quite bulky.
Side by side: African Black Swift vs Fork-tailed Swift · African Black Swift vs Horus Swift
Learn the African Black Swift in the BeakBrain App
Photo and call practice. Coming soon to iPhone and Android.
Play today's Daily BirdEvery photo and recording on this page is credited to its author under the licence shown. Spotted a problem with this page, or have a better photo? Contribute.