Swifts: The Fastest Birds in the World

Maybe you have heard swifts near you ? Listen below to find out

 

 

What are swifts?

Swifts are a group of fast-flying acrobatic birds. They have very long wings, small legs, and relatively small bodies. Researchers estimate that there are about 100 different species of these birds, all of which are in the Apodidae family. The hummingbirds are their closest living relatives.

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How do swifts live?

Swifts spend most of their lives in the air. They can fly at speeds of up to 111 km/h (69 mph), making them the fastest birds in level flight. They can also perform impressive aerial manoeuvres, such as diving, gliding, and turning. Swifts eat, drink, bathe, and even mate on the wing. They only land to nest and roost.

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Life on the Wing

  • Non-breeding birds sleep while flying as high as 3000 metres, approximately 500 miles per day
  • They approach their nest sites at more than 64 kph (40 mph)
  • Swifts cannon land on the ground or perch on wires / branches
  • They have rapid wing beats (8 per second) and eat insects while flying
  • Swifts usually stay with the same partner for life and can live for up to 21 years.
  • They make their nests from feathers, leaves, dry grass and dandelion clocks all caught while flying and stuck together with saliva.
  • They typically lay 2 to 3 eggs and both partners take turns to keep the eggs warm, until they hatch after 18 days.
  • Baby chicks are blind and have no feathers
  • The parents feed 300-500 balls of insects (bolus) per day for 6-8 weeks.
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