#1218 · 🐦 birds

White-rumped Swift

🇳🇱 Pijlstaartgierzwaluw ·Apus caffer

LCleast concern 🐦 Birds 📍 in Europe, not in NL

10 photos from iNaturalist (Creative Commons) · credits & licences

1. © Martin Grimm · CC BY-NC 4.0
2. © markus lilje · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
3. © Christiaan Viljoen · CC BY 4.0
4. © João Esteves · CC BY-NC 4.0
5. © Peter Vos · CC BY-NC 4.0
6. Walter Sisulu National Botanical Gardens:© Ernest Porter · CC BY-NC 4.0
7. Pixley ka Seme, Northern Cape, South Africa:© Adam Welz · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
8. 6060 Penha Garcia, Portugal:© João Esteves · CC BY-NC 4.0
9. 6060 Penha Garcia, Portugal:© João Esteves · CC BY-NC 4.0
10. The Island, Sedgefield, 6573, Zuid-Afrika:© Herman Berteler · CC BY-NC 4.0

what is it?

The white-rumped swift ( Apus caffer ) is a small swift. Although this bird is superficially similar to a house martin, it is not closely related to that passerine species. The resemblances between the swallows and swifts are due to convergent evolution reflecting similar life styles.

base stats

NL sightings 0iNaturalist, research grade
worldwide 1,181iNaturalist observations
weight 22.1 gadult, up to
threat LCleast concern

Bars compare against all animals on log scales: up to 300,000 Dutch and 600,000 worldwide sightings (the most-seen species), 150 t (blue whale), 30 m and 400 years (Greenland shark).

fun facts

No confirmed wild sightings in the Netherlands on iNaturalist: you'd have to travel for this one.
1,181 observations worldwide on iNaturalist.
Weighs only about 22 g.
Scientifically named by Hinrich Lichtenstein in 1823 (203 years ago).