The common swift (Apus apus) is a small bird species found throughout much of South Africa. It is a member of the swift family, Apodidae, and is known for its speedy flight and aerial agility.
The common swift breeds across South Africa, especially in the central and eastern regions of the country. However, it is a summer migrant to South Africa, traveling from Eurasia where it winters. The bird can be seen from September to April in South Africa when not breeding.
Some key facts about the common swift in South Africa:
Key Facts
- Scientific Name: Apus apus
- Length: 16-17 cm
- Wingspan: 38-40 cm
- Weight: 42-48 g
- Population in South Africa: Approximately 90,000-120,000
- Conservation Status: Least Concern
- Habitats: Urban areas, woodlands, grasslands, wetlands
- Migration: Summers in South Africa, winters in Africa and Eurasia
- Diet: Insects caught in flight
- Nesting: On cliffs, buildings, tree hollows; nests made of saliva and plant material
In this article, we’ll explore the identification, distribution, behavior, breeding, and conservation status of the common swift in South Africa.
Identification
The common swift is a small, slim, and compact bird, adapted for speed and aerial maneuverability.
Some key identification features include:
- Uniformly dark brown plumage
- Contrasting white throat patch
- Short, forked tail
- Long, curved wings
- Swift, erratic flight patterns
- Loud, screaming calls
The common swift looks similar to other swifts and swallows. However, it can be distinguished by its larger size, dark coloration, white throat, short tail, and flight style. The white-rumped swift is the only other similar swift species in South Africa.
Appearance
Adult common swifts have dark brown upperparts and paler brown underparts. The throat is white, contrasting with the rest of the plumage. The wings are long, slim and curved back. The tail is short and forked.
Common swifts have small feet that are adapted for clinging onto vertical surfaces but not for perching on branches. Their short legs give them a distinctive silhouette in flight.
The common swift’s eyes are adapted to focus while traveling at high speeds. They have excellent vision and maneuverability while in flight catching insects.
Calls
Common swifts have loud, screaming calls that are mostly heard when they are on the wing. The calls are used for communication between individuals and pairs.
Their call is a loud, penetrating scream that sounds like “sree-sree-sree”. This high-pitched call is thought to help them echolocate and communicate when flying rapidly through the air.
Similar Species
- White-rumped Swift – Slightly smaller with distinct white rump band. Mostly in western South Africa.
- African Palm Swift – More local movements, less aerial, prefers palm trees.
- Alpine Swift – All dark, bigger size, prefers mountains.
- Little Swift – Smaller with weaker flight, more restricted to northeast South Africa.
Being able to identify the common swift and distinguish it from similar species takes practice. Focusing on size, flight style, color patterns, habitat, and range can help pinpoint species.
Distribution and Habitat
The common swift has a wide distribution across South Africa during the summer months when not breeding.
Range
The common swift is found widely across South Africa, primarily in the central and eastern parts of the country. Its range becomes more localized further west in South Africa.
| Province | Occurrence |
|---|---|
| Eastern Cape | Common summer visitor |
| Free State | Common summer visitor |
| Gauteng | Common summer visitor |
| KwaZulu-Natal | Common summer visitor |
| Limpopo | Common summer visitor |
| Mpumalanga | Common summer visitor |
| Northern Cape | Uncommon summer visitor |
| North West | Fairly common summer visitor |
| Western Cape | Localised summer visitor |
Habitats
In South Africa, common swifts utilize a variety of habitats when feeding and roosting:
- Urban areas – Nests on buildings and feeds over cities
- Woodlands – Forages widely over open woodland
- Grasslands – Hawks for insects over grasslands and fields
- Wetlands – Feeds around lakes, rivers, and marshes
- Alpine areas – Occasionally found foraging at high elevations
They require sufficient air space and altitude for feeding on the wing. Easy access to nesting sites and open areas for foraging make urban locations highly favorable.
Outside of breeding season, common swifts will roost communally in reedbeds or forests. They favor locations that provide shelter.
Behavior
The common swift is highly aerial and feeds, drinks, mates, and even sleeps on the wing. A few aspects of their behavior in South Africa include:
Flight
The common swift is a powerful flier, capable of rapid, agile flight for extended durations. It flies nearly continuously during the day and can travel immense distances while feeding and roosting on the move.
Some key flight behaviors:
- Speed – Common swifts can fly at speeds over 110 km/hr.
- Style – They have a bounding, bat-like flight pattern with quick wingbeats.
- Agility – Their flexible wings allow great maneuverability and ability to suddenly change directions.
- Roosting – They roost in the air, gliding slowly and dropping altitude at dusk before landing.
Feeding
Feeding entirely in flight, common swifts hawk flying insects including beetles, flies, mosquitoes, aphids, ants, and more.
- They catch prey in their beaks and consume while airborne.
- They drink by skimming the surface of water bodies while flying as well.
- They feed at varying altitudes depending on where insect prey is concentrated.
- Favorable feeding conditions allow them to feed nearly continuously while in flight all day.
Breeding
While in South Africa, non-breeding common swifts roost communally. However, upon returning to Europe and Asia for breeding they disperse:
- They nest solitarily or in loose colonies, constructing nests on cliffs or buildings.
- Nests are made of saliva and plant material and attached to vertical surfaces.
- Pairs mate for life and share parental duties of incubating eggs and raising young.
- The female lays 2-3 eggs that hatch after 19-20 days of incubation.
- Chicks fledge about 42-49 days after hatching.
Breeding
Common swifts breed during the summer months in Europe and Asia. But while in South Africa from September to April they do not breed.
Nesting
Common swifts build specialized nests attached to vertical surfaces such as:
- Cliffs
- Caves
- Trees
- Buildings
- Other manmade structures
The nests are made mostly of saliva, which turns hard and rubbery when dried. The base is composed of plant material, feathers, hair, and other items.
Both sexes participate in nest building, which takes around 2 weeks. Nests are re-used and added to in subsequent years.
Eggs
Females lay 2-3 glossy white eggs in each clutch. The eggs measure about 20 mm x 14 mm.
Incubation lasts for 19-20 days before the eggs hatch. The female performs most of the incubation duties while the male provides food.
Chicks
Common swift chicks are altricial, hatching naked and helpless. Both parents feed the chicks with aerial insects caught on the wing.
Chicks fledge about 42-49 days after hatching. They continue to be fed by the parents while learning to fly expertly.
By 3 weeks after fledging, the juvenile swifts can fly competently and will join flocks heading to Africa for the southern migration.
Conservation
The common swift remains a widespread and common migratory bird in South Africa, though they face some conservation issues:
Population
Globally, the common swift population is extremely large, estimated at 110-260 million individual birds. However, swift numbers have declined in parts of Europe.
South Africa hosts around 90,000-120,000 common swifts during summer months. Most breed further north and migrate south.
Threats
Common swifts face threats such as:
- Use of toxic pesticides – Reduces insect prey
- Habitat loss – Loss of foraging areas and nesting sites
- Climate change – Impacts migration and breeding
- Extreme weather – Causes chick mortality
Building renovations may also disturb existing nesting sites in urban areas.
Conservation Status
The common swift is listed as a species of Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. This indicates it is not currently vulnerable to extinction.
Some specific conservation actions include:
- Monitoring population trends
- Protecting roosting and nesting sites
- Reducing pesticide usage
- Putting up nest boxes to provide additional nesting habitat
Ongoing protection of the common swift and its aerial habitat will be important for the species long-term survival across its range.
Conclusion
In summary, the common swift is a familiar and iconic summer visitor to South African skies. Its scythe-shaped wings and shrieking calls make it unmistakable as it feeds and roosts on the wing.
Understanding the identification, distribution, behavior, and ecology of the common swift provides greater insight into this avian specialist. Careful ongoing conservation efforts will be needed to ensure healthy swift populations into the future, both in South Africa and globally.
Protecting the common swift helps preserve an integral part of aerial ecosystems. With appropriate habitat conservation and reduced pesticide use, these agile fliers can continue their epic migrations and grace South Africa’s skies for generations to come.
