Common Swift

Overview

The common swift (Apus apus) is a medium-sized bird that is superficially similar to the barn swallow or house martin but belongs to the order Apodiformes. It is characterised by its exceptional ability to live almost entirely in the air, with non-breeding individuals potentially spending up to ten months in continuous flight.

Identification

• Plumage: Entirely blackish-brown with a small white or pale grey patch on the chin that is not visible from a distance.
• Wings and Tail: Features very long swept-back wings that resemble a crescent or boomerang, alongside a short forked tail.
• Size: Approximately 16–17 cm long with a wingspan of 38–40 cm.
• Call: Emits a loud scream in two different tone pitches, often gathering in 'screaming parties' during summer evenings.

Habitat

Common swifts breed across Europe from Portugal and Ireland to China and Siberia, extending into North Africa, the Middle East, and sub-Arctic Russia. They typically nest in buildings, such as under eaves and within gables, though they also use tree holes, cliffs, and crevices. Outside of their breeding range, they are rare vagrants in North America, the Caribbean, and South America.

Diet

Swifts feed exclusively on insects caught in flight, utilising large feeding parties in insect-rich areas such as wetlands and flooded gravel pits. They drink, feed, and often mate and sleep on the wing, rarely landing except when nesting.

Did you know?

Swifts are capable of taking flight from level ground, contradicting the common belief that they can only launch from vertical surfaces. No other bird species spends as much of its life in flight as the common swift.