Cape Verde Swift

It is 13 cm long with a wingspan of 34 to 35 cm. The plumage is dark grey-brown with a large pale throat-patch. Compared to other swifts recorded from the islands it is smaller with shorter wings and a shallower fork to the tail. Its flight action is weaker and more fluttering. It has a high-pitched, screaming call with a buzzing quality.

The Cape Verde Swift is classified as Least Concern. Does not qualify for a more at risk category. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category.

The Cape Verde Swift or Alexander's Swift (Apus alexandri) is a small bird of the swift family found only in the Cape Verde Islands. It has been recorded from all the islands except Santa Luzia although it probably breeds only on Santiago, Fogo, Brava, Santo Antão and São Nicolau. It is generally common with a stable population and is not considered to be threatened. It can be seen flying over all habitats and hunts in flight for insects, foraging in flocks over gullies and along cliffs and shorelines. More

For the purposes of our bird news services, Cape Verde Swift is classed as ungraded: species which are unlikely to appear as wild birds in Britain or Ireland (Note that rarity levels are currently applied nationally and may not reflect local variations in abundance.) show section Products featuring Cape Verde Swift (2) BWPi DVD-ROM 2.0 (DRBWP: £135.95) Breeding Birds of the Western Palearctic (DRWBB: £99. More

Cape Verde swifts and the common waxbill Spanish sparrow Brown-necked Raven and Rock Dovecan also be seen. The beautiful Cattle egret can be seen close to the shore on several the islands. The Cape Verde Warbler (Acrocephalus brevipennis) is a relative of the European warbler. ,It is grey-brown upper, greyish-white lower, without markings . Its song is a distinctive liquid bubbling, like a bulbul. It now breeds only on Santiago and Fogo although previously also found in Brava and Sao Nicolau. More

Cape Verde Swift, Raso Lark, Cape Verde Warbler and Iago Sparrow were easily located, as were most of the following Boyd More