Overview
The plain swift (Apus unicolor) 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.
Swifts have very short legs that they use only for clinging to vertical surfaces.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
Breeds Madeira and western Canary Islands; winters in northern Africa.
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Plain swift
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
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