Swifts (Apodidae)
Little Swift (Apus affinis)
French: Martinet des maisons German: Stubbstjärtsegler Spanish: Vencejo Moro
Other common names: House Swift(!)
Taxonomy:
Cypselus affinis J. E. Gray, 1830, Ganges.
Forms superspecies with A. nipalensis, with which often considered conspecific; separation based mainly on consistently shorter, less forked tail and broader rump band, combined with potential sympatry in Himalayas. Birds of sub-Saharan Africa formerly treated as race abessynicus [sic], and those of coastal Limpopo and Transkei as race gyratus. Six subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- galilejensis (Antinori, 1855) - NW Africa E to Pakistan, and S of Sahara in E Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia and NW Somalia.
- aerobates Brooke, 1969 - Mauritania E to Somalia and S to Transkei (E South Africa).
- bannermani Hartert, 1928 - Bioko, Príncipe and São Tomé, in Gulf of Guinea.
- galilejensis (Antinori, 1855) - NW Africa E to Pakistan, and S of Sahara in E Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia and NW Somalia.
- aerobates Brooke, 1969 - Mauritania E to Somalia and S to Transkei (E South Africa).
- bannermani Hartert, 1928 - Bioko, Príncipe and São Tomé, in Gulf of Guinea.
- theresae Meinertzhagen, 1949 - W & S Angola to S Zambia and S through S Africa.
- affinis (J. E. Gray, 1830) - S Somalia to N Mozambique (including Zanzibar and Pemba), and E to India S of Himalayas and E of Pakistan; some birds winter in India and presumably Africa.
- singalensis Madarász, 1911 - S India and Sri Lanka.
- Least Concern
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A number of birds calling and flying around the guest house, where they have several nests under the roof Chimpanze Guest House, Kaniyo Pabidi, Budongo Forest, Uganda (aerobates)
Josep del Hoyo 1 September 2006 2 years ago 36 sec 3.7 -
A bird on a windy cliff, then flying high Cromer, Norfolk, England, UK
Richard Johnson 12 November 2005 3 years ago 30 sec 3.4 -
Different shots of birds flying. Thattekad Bird Sanctuary, Ernakulam District, Kerala, India (singalensis)
Josep del Hoyo 30 November 2009 4 days ago ADDED LAST WEEK 31 sec 2.5 -
Several views of birds in flight, showing the white rump. Thattekad Bird Sanctuary, Ernakulam District, Kerala, India (singalensis)
Josep del Hoyo 30 November 2009 4 days ago ADDED LAST WEEK 15 sec 2.5
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A bird in flight Tamil Nadu, India
Tadeusz Stawarczyk 13 February 2008 43 weeks ago 3
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Flying flock of birds calling. Galilee, Israel
(galilejensis)
Iva Hristova 29 May 2007 9 weeks ago 3
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