Data Zone
Taxonomic source(s)
AERC TAC. 2003. AERC TAC Checklist of bird taxa occurring in Western Palearctic region, 15th Draft. Available at: http://www.aerc.eu/DOCS/Bird_taxa_of_the_WP15.xls.
Cramp, S. and Simmons, K.E.L. (eds). 1977-1994. Handbook of the birds of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The birds of the western Palearctic. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.
| Critically Endangered | Endangered | Vulnerable |
|---|---|---|
| - | - | - |
| Year | Category | Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Least Concern | |
| 2014 | Least Concern | |
| 2012 | Least Concern | |
| 2009 | Least Concern | |
| 2008 | Least Concern | |
| 2004 | Least Concern | |
| 2000 | Lower Risk/Least Concern | |
| 1994 | Lower Risk/Least Concern | |
| 1988 | Lower Risk/Least Concern |
| Migratory status | full migrant | Forest dependency | low |
| Land-mass type | Average mass | - |
| Estimate | Data quality | |
|---|---|---|
| Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) | 179,000 km2 | |
| Extent of Occurrence (non-breeding) | 420,000 km2 | |
| Severely fragmented? | no | - |
| Estimate | Data quality | Derivation | Year of estimate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population size | 15000-40000 mature individuals | poor | estimated | 2012 |
| Population trend | unknown | - | suspected | - |
| Generation length | 12.5 years | - | - | - |
Population justification: The breeding population, which is confined to Europe, is estimated to number 7,500-20,000 pairs, which equates to 15,000-40,000 mature individuals and 22,500-60,000 individuals in total (BirdLife International 2015).
Trend justification: The trend for the European breeding population is unknown (BirdLife International 2015).
| Country/Territory | Presence | Origin | Resident | Breeding visitor | Non-breeding visitor | Passage migrant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Verde | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Mauritania | extant | native | yes | |||
| Morocco | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Portugal | extant | native | yes | |||
| Spain | extant | native | yes | yes |
| Country/Territory | IBA Name |
|---|---|
| Portugal | Ilhas Desertas |
| Portugal | Ilhéus do Porto Santo |
| Portugal | Laurissilva |
| Portugal | Maciço Montanhoso Oriental |
| Portugal | Ponta de São Lourenço |
| Portugal | Ponta do Pargo |
| Portugal | Porto Santo Oeste |
| Spain | Cuchillete de Buenavista-gully of La Torre-Los Alares |
| Spain | Garajonay National Park |
| Spain | Gully of Ajuí-Betancuria |
| Spain | La Palma laurel forest |
| Spain | Llano Grande - Malpaís Grande - Malpaís Chico |
| Spain | Los Gigantes coastal cliff |
| Spain | Los Molinos gully-Plain of La Laguna |
| Spain | Mountain of Agua, gully of Los Cochinos and gully of Cuevas Negras |
| Spain | Tamadaba pine woodland |
| Habitat (level 1) | Habitat (level 2) | Importance | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forest | Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland | suitable | breeding |
| Forest | Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland | suitable | non-breeding |
| Forest | Subtropical/Tropical Moist Montane | suitable | breeding |
| Forest | Subtropical/Tropical Moist Montane | suitable | non-breeding |
| Grassland | Subtropical/Tropical Dry | suitable | breeding |
| Grassland | Subtropical/Tropical Dry | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | Sea Cliffs and Rocky Offshore Islands | major | breeding |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | Sea Cliffs and Rocky Offshore Islands | major | non-breeding |
| Savanna | Dry | suitable | breeding |
| Savanna | Dry | suitable | non-breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Permanent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha) | suitable | breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Permanent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha) | suitable | non-breeding |
| Altitude | 0 - 2500 m | Occasional altitudinal limits |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Plain Swift Apus unicolor. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/plain-swift-apus-unicolor on 23/12/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 23/12/2024.