How big is a Plain Swift?

The Plain Swift is a small sized bird weighing about 23 g.

Where can you see a Plain Swift?

The Plain Swift occurs in 5 countries, including Spain and Portugal.

What birds look similar to a Plain Swift?

The Plain Swift is most easily confused with the Horus Swift, the Bradfield's Swift and the Nyanza Swift.

Is the Plain Swift endangered?

The Plain Swift is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Plain Swift

Apus unicolor

Swifts · Apodiformes · Rare

The Plain Swift (Apus unicolor) is a rare swift found in 5 countries, weighing about 23 g. The plain swift is a medium-sized swift.

Least ConcernRareEats invertebratesrockcup nest23 g

Plain Swift (Apus unicolor), photo 1 — Photo: Frank Sengpiel · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Plain Swift (Apus unicolor), photo 2 — Photo: Frank Sengpiel · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Plain Swift (Apus unicolor), photo 3 — Photo: Jan Ebr & Ivana Ebrová · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Plain Swift (Apus unicolor), photo 4 — Photo: Jan Ebr & Ivana Ebrová · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Plain Swift (Apus unicolor), photo 5 — Photo: Hobbyfotowiki · CC0

Plain Swift (Apus unicolor), photo 6 — Photo: (c) Edmundas Greimas, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY

Plain Swift (Apus unicolor), photo 7 — Photo: (c) Phill Robinson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY

Plain Swift (Apus unicolor), photo 8 — Photo: (c) nbasargin, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY

Plain Swift (Apus unicolor), photo 9 — Photo: (c) Johannes S., some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY

Plain Swift (Apus unicolor), photo 10 — Photo: (c) Vítor Jorge, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY

About the Plain Swift

The plain swift is a medium-sized swift. Although this bird is superficially similar to a barn swallow or house martin, it is not related to those passerine species. The resemblances between the groups are due to convergent evolution reflecting similar life styles.

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

Where it lives

Spain Portugal

Recorded as a rare visitor in Mauritania, Morocco, Liberia.

When to see it

Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, with peak activity in July. It is a resident species across most of its range.

Easily confused with

Quick questions

What does a Plain Swift look like?: The plain swift is a medium-sized swift.
How big is a Plain Swift?: The Plain Swift is a small sized bird weighing about 23 g.
Where can you see a Plain Swift?: The Plain Swift occurs in 5 countries, including Spain and Portugal.
What birds look similar to a Plain Swift?: The Plain Swift is most easily confused with the Horus Swift, the Bradfield's Swift and the Nyanza Swift.
Is the Plain Swift endangered?: The Plain Swift is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Learn the Plain Swift for real

BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.

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