Cederberg Wilderness Area
Western Cape · Best Sep to Apr
9 places
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Little Swift
Apus affinis
The little swift (Apus affinis), is a small bird, superficially similar to a barn swallow or house martin.
Species insights
When to visit
Recorded year-round
Recorded in every month, so no month is the wrong month to look. We would rather say that than invent a best time.
Best monthsAny month
Recorded in Western Cape~202 records
Curve from 841 national iNaturalist observations, not from one property and not from this province. Single-month spikes are discarded as upload artefacts, and below 50 records we show no curve at all.
Where you'll find it
Western Cape and beyond
Provinces where Little Swift is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
841 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Little Swift
Stays that give back
Across the Western Cape
Zwartberg View Mountain Lodge
Oudtshoorn · From R 5,060 a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Barry House on Riverton
Robertson · From R 1,155 a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Bartholomeus Klip Farmhouse
Riebeek Valley, Riebeek West · From R 5,636 a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Bliss on the Bay (Pringle Bay)
Pringle Bay · From R 4,640 a night
Little Swift recorded here
Marloth Nature Reserve
Marloth Nature Reserve · From R 1,180 a night
Little Swift recorded here
Melkkamer Homestead, De Hoop
De Hoop Nature Reserve · Price on request
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Limietberg Nature Reserve
Limietberg Nature Reserve · From R 220 a night
Little Swift recorded here
Keurbooms River Nature Reserve
Keurbooms River Nature Reserve · From R 2,170 a night
Little Swift recorded here
De Hoop Collection
De Hoop Nature Reserve · Price on request
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve
Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve · From R 680 a night
Little Swift recorded here
Robberg Nature Reserve
Robberg Nature Reserve · From R 1,560 a night
Little Swift recorded here
Lark House
Glencairn, Cape Town · Price on request
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Cederberg - Kliphuis
Cederberg Wilderness Area · From R 180 a night
Little Swift recorded here
Mbali Collection
Kogelberg Nature Reserve · From R 1,590 a night
Little Swift recorded here
Oudebosch Eco Cabins
Kogelberg Nature Reserve · From R 1,730 a night
Little Swift recorded here
Luiperd & Rooikat Cottages
Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve · From R 1,750 a night
Little Swift recorded here
Bakoorvos & Silwervos Cottages
Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve · From R 1,750 a night
Little Swift recorded here
Coot, Shoveler, Egret & Moorhen Cottages
Rocherpan Nature Reserve · From R 1,990 a night
Little Swift recorded here
Algeria Cottages
Cederberg Wilderness Area · From R 1,990 a night
Little Swift recorded here
Kingfisher Cottage
Rocherpan Nature Reserve · From R 1,500 a night
Little Swift recorded here
Flamingo Cottage
Rocherpan Nature Reserve · From R 1,430 a night
Little Swift recorded here
Oystercatcher Cottage
Rocherpan Nature Reserve · From R 1,430 a night
Little Swift recorded here
Sandpiper Cottage
Rocherpan Nature Reserve · From R 1,430 a night
Little Swift recorded here
Rietdak Cottage
Cederberg Wilderness Area · From R 1,580 a night
Little Swift recorded here
The Cape Winelands
Next stop
Stellenbosch and Franschhoek vineyards, an hour up the N1
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Little Swift
Hosts have recorded the Little Swift at stays in or beside Cederberg Wilderness Area, Goukamma Nature Reserve and Rocherpan Nature 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.
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
Species
Apus affinis
Records
841
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Little Swift on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Little Swift in Western Cape?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Little Swift at stays in or beside Cederberg Wilderness Area, Goukamma Nature Reserve, Rocherpan Nature Reserve, De Hoop Nature Reserve, Kogelberg Nature Reserve and Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve 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 Little Swift in South Africa?
The Little Swift is most recorded in Western Cape (24% of records), Mpumalanga (24% of records), Limpopo (17% of records), based on 841 iNaturalist observations. 42 places to stay on Spekboom in Western Cape have recorded the Little Swift on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Little Swift?
The Little Swift is recorded throughout the year, so no month is the wrong month to look for it. For the parks where hosts record it most, these are the best seasons they give. Cederberg Wilderness Area: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct; Goukamma Nature Reserve: year-round, warm Oct-Apr; Rocherpan Nature Reserve: Winter and spring for birds and flowers, Jun-Oct; De Hoop Nature Reserve: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Little Swift?
The little swift (Apus affinis), is a small bird, superficially similar to a barn swallow or house martin. It is, however, completely unrelated to those passerine species, since swifts are in the order Apodiformes. The resemblances between the groups are due to convergent evolution reflecting similar life styles.