Horus Swift

Horus Swift

Apus horus

Silhouette: Ferran Sayol · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
at Tsavo West National Park
4 Verified sightings at Tsavo West National Park From 2019 to 2026
827 Verified sightings across all 38 parks From 2019 to 2026
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Horus Swift

The Horus swift (Apus horus) is a small bird in the swift family Apodidae that is found in sub-Saharan Africa. Horus, whose name this bird commemorates, was the ancient Egyptian god of the sun, son of Osiris and Isis. The Horus swift was formally described in 1869 by the German explorer and ornithologist Theodor von Heuglin under the binomial name Cypselus horus. The specific epithet is from Ancient Egyptian mythology: Horus was the god of the sun. This species is now one of 20 swifts placed in the genus Apus that was introduced in 1777 by the Italian naturalist Giovanni Antonio Scopoli. The species is treated as monotypic. The subspecies A. h. fuscobrunneus and A. h. toulsoni were formerly recognised but are now considered to be colour morphs of the nominate form.

The Horus swift is 13–15 cm (5.1–5.9 in) long and quite bulky. It appears entirely blackish except for a white patch on the chin and a white rump. It has a medium length forked tail. It has a fluttering flight like little swift. The little swift has a square tail, and more extensive white on the rump than Horus, and white-rumped swift has a more deeply forked tail and a narrower white band... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Tsavo West National Park

Little Swift
LC

Little Swift

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Apus affinis

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
White-rumped Swift
LC

White-rumped Swift

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Apus caffer

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Common Swift
LC

Common Swift

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Apus apus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
African Swift
LC

African Swift

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Apus barbatus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
African Palm-Swift
LC

African Palm-Swift

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cypsiurus parvus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Mottled Swift
LC

Mottled Swift

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tachymarptis aequatorialis

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Alpine Swift
LC

Alpine Swift

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Tachymarptis melba

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
2 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
~10%
3 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
~10%
4 Golden Gate Highlands National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
5 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
6 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
7 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
8 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
9 Kibale National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
10 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
11 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
12 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
13 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
<5%
14 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
15 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
16 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
17 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
18 Bwindi Impenetrable National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
19 Lake Mburo National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
20 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
<5%
21 Nyungwe National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
<5%
22 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
23 Awash National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
Insufficient data
24 Lower Zambezi National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
Insufficient data
25 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
26 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
27 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
28 Mikumi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
29 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
30 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
31 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
32 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
Insufficient data
33 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
34 Aberdare National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
35 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
36 Volcanoes National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
Insufficient data
37 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
38 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
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