Limpopo
Kruger
Self-drive
Stays in LimpopoWhere to see
Where to see the Common Swift in South Africa
Hosts have recorded the Common Swift at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and Kwandwe Private Game Reserve.
Apus apus
Planning a trip
When and where to find the Common Swift
Hosts have recorded the Common Swift at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and Kwandwe Private Game Reserve.
Best hours of the day
- The first hours after sunrise, and late afternoon. Birds call and feed most in the cool.
- Midday. Quieter, especially in summer heat.
Where to base yourself
- Limpopo
Northern Cape
Kgalagadi
Northern CapeSelf-driveMalaria-freeStays in Northern Cape
Eastern Cape
Kwandwe
Eastern CapeGuided drivesMalaria-freeStays in Eastern Cape
Western Cape
De Hoop · Robberg
Western CapeSelf-driveMalaria-freeStays in Western Cape
Ways to look
Species
Apus apus
Records
74
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Common Swift on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Common Swift in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Common Swift at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Kwandwe Private Game Reserve, De Hoop Nature Reserve, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park and iSimangaliso Wetland Park and other reserves. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.
Where can you see the Common Swift in South Africa?
The Common Swift is most recorded in Western Cape (59% of records), Northern Cape (15% of records), Mpumalanga (7% of records), based on 74 iNaturalist observations. 36 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Common Swift on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Common Swift?
Sightings of the Common Swift peak from Nov to Feb, based on 74 iNaturalist records. You may still see it outside those months, sightings are just less frequent.
What is the Common Swift?
The common swift (Apus apus) is a medium-sized bird, superficially similar to the barn swallow or house martin but somewhat larger, though not stemming from those passerine species, being in the order Apodiformes. The resemblances between the groups are due to convergent evolution, reflecting similar contextual development.
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the Common Swift
Every stay on the Common Swift page lists the species its host has recorded on or near the property. A record is a sighting, never a promise.
See where to stay