The bird genus Apus comprise some of the Old World members of the family Apodidae, commonly known as swifts.

They are among the fastest birds in the world. They resemble swallows, to which they are not related, but have shorter tails and sickle-shaped wings. Swifts spend most of their life aloft, have very short legs and use them mostly to cling to surfaces.

Systematics

• Alpine Swift, Apus melba
• Mottled Swift, Apus aequatorialis
• Alexander's Swift, Apus alexandri
• Common Swift, Apus apus
• Plain Swift, Apus unicolor
• Nyanza Swift, Apus niansae
• Pallid Swift, Apus pallidus
• African Swift, Apus barbatus
• Forbes-Watson's Swift, Apus berliozi
• Bradfield's Swift, Apus bradfieldi
• Madagascar Swift, Apus balstoni
• Pacific Swift, Apus pacificus
• Dark-rumped Swift, Apus acuticauda
• Little Swift, Apus affinis
  • House Swift, Apus (affinis) nipalensis
• Horus Swift, Apus horus
• White-rumped Swift, Apus caffer
• Bates' Swift Apus batesi

Known fossil species are:

• Apus gaillardi (Middle/Late Miocene of La Grive-St.-Alban, France)
• Apus wetmorei (Early - Late Pliocene of SC and SE Europe)
• Apus baranensis (Late Pliocene)

References

• Chantler, Phil & Driessens, Gerald (2000): Swifts : a guide to the swifts and treeswifts of the world. Pica Press, Mountfield, East Sussex. ISBN 1-873403-83-6

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