White-rumped Swift

Apus caffer

Order: Apodiformes
Family: Apodidae
Presence in the Strait: Seasonal
Abundance: scarce
Protection in Spain: Special protection (List)
In Spanish: Vencejo cafre

Photograph: Christiaan Viljoen, CC BY, vía iNaturalist

Length: 14 cm
Wingspan: 34–36 cm
Weight: 22 g

Presence in the Strait

Scarce summer visitor (>40 pairs). Colonising species that comes from Africa. First observation in Europe was at Laja de Aciscar (Tarifa) on 9.08.62. Two years later, one bird near Algeciras and several in the Sierra de la Plata on 21.06.64 (3), 4.08.64 (3) and on 5 & 8.08.64 (1). Next year it was observed in the same place from 27.May to 28.Sep. In 1966, the first observation was on the 3rd of May, and the first nest of this species in Europe was found on the 1st of June. A total of six were found during the whole season. In the following years, the number of sites increased, but it is in the area of the Strait where this species has settled most successfully.

Identification

Similar to a Common Swift but smaller, narrower wings with a shorter wingspan, forked tail, whiter throat and visible white upper rump. It uses the nests of Red-rumped Swallows, lining the entrance with a visible layer of white feathers.

Movements

They arrive towards the beginning of May and stay until the end of October. Prenuptial peaks in 2nd hf. May; postnuptial peaks in 1st hf. September.

Bioestrecho editorial text. Last revised: 8 September 2026.

Photographs from iNaturalist observations with the licence checked file by file. Those marked “Strait” were taken within the area; place and date are those of each observation.

Calendar in the Strait

30 %

Peak in September. Observations under CC0 or CC BY licences. The distribution also reflects observation effort.

Where it is seen

Open records from the atlas database, in cells of about 3.6 km. Opacity follows the square root of the count, and also reflects where people observe most.

See on the map

First open record: 29 July 1969
Latest record: 23 September 2024

The oldest and the most recent open observation in the extended area. A recent first observation does not mean the species is new: it means nobody had published it openly before.

Conservation

The catalogues, Andalusian and Spanish, are what binds; the Red Book assesses the Spanish population with IUCN criteria, and the global Red List is the context.

LCNTVUENCR

Andalusian Catalogue: Special protection (List)
Spanish Catalogue: Special protection (List)
Red Book of the Birds of Spain 2021: NT · Near threatened · breeding
Global Red List (IUCN): LC · Least concern

Annex I of the Birds Directive

Andalusian Catalogue: Junta de Andalucía, list of 24 April 2025. Spanish Catalogue: MITECO, table of 30 June 2025. Red Book: SEO/BirdLife, 2021 (Annex I). IUCN: via GBIF, 6 September 2026. Red Book and IUCN categories are assessments; catalogue categories are legal obligations.

Phenology compared

Monthly distribution in proportion, by decade. It shows whether the passage is getting earlier or later.

2000–2009

2010–2026

Proportions, not totals: observation effort grew faster than any population.

Same genus in the Strait

Little Swift12–12 cm · Seasonal
Common Swift16–17 cm · Seasonal
Pallid Swift16–17 cm · Seasonal
Alpine Swift20–22 cm · Seasonal

Species of the same genus that also occur here, ordered by how close they are in size. Being relatives does not mean they are confused in the field, but that is where the doubts start: compare size and season.

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Apodiformes
Family: Apodidae
GBIF taxon key: 5228644

Sources

Distribution and calendar: Bioestrecho's own database, ingested from GBIF and OBIS
Photograph: Christiaan Viljoen, CC BY, vía iNaturalist
Taxonomy: GBIF backbone, pending WoRMS for marine taxa
Editorial text: written by Bioestrecho
Last revised: 8 September 2026

White-rumped Swift

Presence in the Strait

Identification

Movements

Gallery