Species Focus - Swift (Apus apus)
Many of you will have already spotted your first Swallows and House martins of 2021 and now Swifts will be returning to our skies, usually seen for the first time in early May. They are only here for 3 months to nest before they fly back to Africa where they spend their winter south of the Sahara.
Swifts feed on flying insects and ‘ballooning’ spiders and usually feed at heights above 50 meters. As they are hunting, insects are collected in the back of the throat in a special pouch and bound together with saliva into a ball called a bolus. These balls contain hundreds of insects and they are periodically eaten or taken to chicks in the nest.
Swift Box © David Smith
They are dark brown all over though look black against the sky. They are arrow or boomerang shape with long, narrow wings and a short forked tail and they often fly in groups whilst calling to each other with high pitched screams.
The height of their flight is another way to distinguish them from swallows and martins. They nest inside buildings, unlike Swallows and House Martins who construct nests on the outside of a building.
Similar Species:
Swallow © Andy Shotts
Swallows - dark, glossy-blue backs, red throats and their entire underparts are pale. They have long tail streamers.
House Martins © Geraint Wyn Hughes
House martins – smaller than Swallows, glossy dark blue-black backs and pure white underparts. Unlike the other hirundines they have a white rump and like the Sand martin, a short forked tail.
Sand Martin © David Parry
Sand martin - similar size to House martins (therefore also smaller than Swifts and Swallows) with dark brown upper parts and white underparts divided by a dark strap around the chest. They also have short forked tails.
Click here to watch a short, useful video from the BTO about how to tell Swift, Swallow and House martin apart.
A Swift Recovery:
This North Wales Wildlfe Trust project is particularly interested in gathering information on Swift colonies and potential nesting behaviour. Enter your records on Cofnod’s website clicking on A Swift Recovery when prompted.
Please enter Swallow, House martin and Sand martin records on Cofnod's ORS or you can submit your records using the LERC Wales Mobile App.
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