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Cape Verde Swift

Apus alexandri

Least Concern · IUCN Red List

LCLeast ConcernInvertebratesRockySmall · 35 g
Cape Verde Swift (Apus alexandri), photo 1
Photo: (c) William Stephens, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY 4.0
Cape Verde Swift (Apus alexandri), photo 2
Photo: Tero Linjama · CC0
Cape Verde Swift (Apus alexandri), photo 3
Photo: William Stephens · CC BY 4.0
Cape Verde Swift (Apus alexandri), photo 4
Photo: William Stephens · CC BY 4.0
Cape Verde Swift (Apus alexandri), photo 5
Photo: (c) William Stephens, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY 4.0
Cape Verde Swift (Apus alexandri), photo 6
Photo: Tero Linjama · CC0
Cape Verde Swift (Apus alexandri), photo 7
Photo: Jan Ebr & Ivana Ebrová · CC BY 4.0
Cape Verde Swift (Apus alexandri), photo 8
Photo: Jan Ebr & Ivana Ebrová · CC BY 4.0
Cape Verde Swift (Apus alexandri), photo 9
Photo: William Stephens · CC BY 4.0
Cape Verde Swift (Apus alexandri), photo 10
Photo: William Stephens · CC BY 4.0

ID tip

It is 13 cm long with a wingspan of 34 to 35 cm. The plumage is dark grey-brown with a large pale throat patch. Compared to other swifts recorded from the islands it is smaller with shorter wings and a shallower fork to the tail. Its flight action is weaker and more fluttering. It has a high-pitched, screaming call with a buzzing quality.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Cape Verde Swift

One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 8 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is April, the month with the most records.

Where to see the Cape Verde Swift

Regular range

The map shades 2 countries with regular records. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

Cape Verde Uganda

About the Cape Verde Swift

The Cape Verde swift or Alexander's swift is a small bird of the swift family found only in the Cape Verde Islands. It has been recorded from all the islands except Santa Luzia although it probably breeds only on Santiago, Fogo, Brava, Santo Antão and São Nicolau. It is generally common with a stable population and is not considered to be threatened. The name Alexander's swift commemorates Boyd Alexander, an English ornithologist who led two expeditions to the islands in 1897.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Forbes-Watson's Swift (Apus berliozi) Forbes-Watson's SwiftApus berlioziForbes-Watson's swift is a species of swift in the family Apodidae. Bates's Swift (Apus batesi) Bates's SwiftApus batesiBates's swift is a small, slender swift with a deeply forked tail which is often held closed to form a point. Dark-rumped Swift (Apus acuticauda) Dark-rumped SwiftApus acuticaudaThe dark-rumped swift is a species of swift in the family Apodidae.

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