• White patch on rump      > go to 2

• Rump black or brown     > skip to 6

x

• Tail square      > go to 3

• Tail forked      > skip to 5

x

• Belly white; flies like a bat; tail very short; often around baobabs in tropical areas
       > BÖHM’S SPINETAIL

• Belly black > go to 4

x

• Common (even in cities); often in flocks; nests on bridges or buildings; whitish throat; noisy trilling screams
       > LITTLE SWIFT

• Rare; usually around baobabs in tropical areas; mottled throat; white belly-band
       > MOTTLED SPINETAIL

x

• Slender shape; long, pointed, forked tail; narrow white rump; often a bit of white on the rear edge of its wing; often in pairs; may be seen around houses or bridges; takes over swallow nests
       > WHITE-RUMPED SWIFT

• Big, strong shape; shallowly forked tail; broad white block on rump; often in little groups; nests in tunnels in vertical sand banks
       > HORUS SWIFT

• Belly blackish or brown, with or without “scales”
       > go to 7

• Belly white; a very big swift that flies super-fast
       > ALPINE SWIFT

x

• Size smallish to medium
       > go to 8

• Size very large; distinctive pale-edged “scales” on its belly; usually near big rock domes in Zimbabwe
       > MOTTLED SWIFT

x

• Typical swift shape; forked tail
       > go to 9

• Skinny and pointy shape; deeply forked tail with long tips
       > go to 11

x

• Looks black overall; widespread
       > go to 10

• Looks more brownish; belly “scaly”; lives in dry western habitats
       > BRADFIELD’S SWIFT

x

• Normally quiet; only ever seen in the sky (not around cliffs etc.); often in spread-out flocks associated with storms or fronts; does not breed here; wing evenly coloured when seen from above
       > COMMON SWIFT

• Often noisy; may be seen in the sky or around cliffs and quarries where it breeds; innerwing paler when seen from above
       > AFRICAN BLACK SWIFT

• Very fine and delicate like a flying boomerang; forages far but nests in palms; common and widespread, even in towns and gardens; brown underwings; throat not much paler
       > AFRICAN PALM SWIFT

• Very rare: found above mountain forests in eastern Zimbabwe only; blackish underwings; throat paler
       > SCARCE SWIFT