- Apus bradfieldi
Identification
18 cm
- Light brown upperparts
- Black bill
- Brown eyes
- Black legs and feet
Distribution
South-western Africa. Found in Angola, Namibia and South Africa.
Common and not globally threatened.
Taxonomy
Forms a superspecies with Forbes-Watson's Swift, African Swift, Pallid Swift and Fernando Po Swift.
Subspecies
Two subspecies recognized[1]:
- A.b. deserticola in Western South Africa
- A.b. bradfieldi in Namibia and South-western Angola
Habitat
Rocky hills, gorges, cliffs, dry open savannah and deserts.
Behaviour
Diet
They catch insects aerially, including bees.
Breeding
They nest in groups with up to 30 birds per colony. The nest is a thick half-cup built from grass, leaves, straw, twigs and feathers. The 2 eggs are laid between August and May.
In Culture
Named after Rupert D. Bradfield (1882-1949) a farmer and naturalist who lived in Namibia.
References
- Clements, JF. 2011. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to August 2011. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
- Namibian.org
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Bradfield's Swift. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 28 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Bradfield%27s_Swift
