Apus (genus)
Swifts (A. apus)
Apus is a species of bird in the family of sailors ( Apodidae ). The genus contains 15 species, the status of three other species is controversial.
The species of this genus are small to medium sized sailors that occur only in the Old World, most of them in Africa. Of these, six are endemic, wintering further 5 species or breed in Africa, but are also found elsewhere. Five species breed in the Western Palearctic, this winter, almost all in sub-Saharan Africa.
The most famous in Europe, members of this genus is the swifts which there has the only extensive dissemination. Other species occurring in Europe this genus are Pallid Swifts and Kafir sailors, but these occur only in southern Europe. The largest species of this genus is the Pacific sailors with a body length of 17-18 centimeters, the house glider with 12 centimeters, the smallest.
Description
Sailors remember Swallows, but are not closely related to these, there is convergent evolution. They feed exclusively on insects and arachnids, which they capture in flight.
The wings are long and sickle-shaped, the tail is deeply forked compared to other sailors long and in most species, only the house sailors he acts just cut off. Your " clamping foot " has strong claws, all four toes facing forward. The number of elements in the third and fourth toe is reduced to three. The legs are very short. The plumage coloration two variants can be distinguished: Dark black with lighter white throat and black to medium brown with paler, less contrast throat.
The sailors of the genus Apus nest in caves and crevices, usually high up on rocks or buildings. The nests are usually small (2-4 eggs).
System
The following types are attributed to the genus:
- Alexander Swift (Apus Alexandrian )
- Common Swift (Apus apus)
- Einfarbsegler (Apus unicolor)
- Brown Swift (Apus niansae )
- Pallid Swift (Apus pallidus )
- Kapsegler (Apus barbatus)
- Sokotrasegler (Apus berliozi )
- Damarasegler (Apus bradfieldi )
- Pacific Swift (Apus pacificus )
- Gloss back Swift (Apus acuticauda )
- House Swift (Apus affinis )
- Malays Swift (Apus nipalensis )
- Horus Swift (Apus horus )
- Kaffir Swift (Apus caffer )
- Mohr Swift (Apus batesi )
More not recognized by all authors species Apus sladeniae, Apus Apus balstoni and toulsoni. The Alpine Swift is in newer classifications mostly associated with the scales of the sailors own genus Tachymarptis.