adult

adult European distribution adult in the hand

Identification

Swifts appear most closely similar to swallows but they have longer, stiffer, more sickle-shaped wings and their plumage is all dark almost black except for a paler chin.

Habitat

Breeds in towns and cities and occasionally in old trees.

Behaviour

The Swift is the most aerial of all birds, feeding, mating and even sleeping on the wing. They only perch in order to breed and so must fly non-stop outside the breeding season, going eight or nine months without landing. The screaming displays of Swifts are probably to advertise the presence of the colony to other Swifts. The idea is that if more birds join the colony then there will be a larger pool of birds finding the best feeding areas and this would benefit all members of the colony.

Migration

A migratory bird which arrives in Europe and the British Isles usually during late April after wintering south of the equator. Western European poulations favour Zaire and Tanzania, some as far south as Zambia and Mozambique.

This information is taken from the BirdFile on the appropriate BirdGuides DVD-ROM. As well as video and sounds, our CD- and DVD-ROMs contain additional text on Voice, Sexing, Ageing, Food, Nests and Eggs and more.

For the purposes of our bird news services, Common Swift is classed as Common: common species, including species that are certain or probable escapees from captivity when occurring in the British Isles. (Note that rarity levels are currently applied nationally and may not reflect local variations in abundance.)

Lowestoft, Suffolk 08/08/2009	Lowestoft, Suffolk 08/08/2009	Campbeltown, Argyll 05/08/2009	Fleetwood, Lancs 01/08/2009	Fleetwood, Lancs 31/07/2009
Leighton Moss, Lancs 30/07/2009	Fleetwood, Lancs 01/08/2009	Hadleigh, Suffolk 25/07/2009	Conwy RSPB, Conwy 12/07/2009	Conwy RSPB, Conwy 12/07/2009

 View all pictures of Common Swift

Common Swift breeds in the following countries (Bird News Extra subscribers will see population statistics and information on trends for each country):

Albania
Andorra
Armenia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Britain
Bulgaria
Canary Islands
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany
Gibraltar
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Lichtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malta
Moldova
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Serbia and Montenegro
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Ukraine

http://blx1.bto.org/birdfacts/results/bob7950.htm   BTO BirdFacts: Common Swift	Edit this link
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	RSPB: Making a Swift exit?	Monday 22nd June 2009
	Summer migrant in serious trouble.   read on
	More on the York Swift	Wednesday 8th August 2007
	The discovery of an apparent Chimney Swift in York at the end of July sparked a lot of interest at the time. Subsequently the identification has become hotly debated. Brett Richards asks further questions over this bird's identity.   read on
	Chimney Swift in York, North Yorkshire	Thursday 26th July 2007
	A summer surprise in the centre of York came in the shape of a Chimney Swift. Finder Andy Booth retells the find.   read on
	RSPB: Listen Out For The Screaming Neighbours	Wednesday 27th June 2007
	To understand more about our Swift population, the RSPB has launched a UK-wide online survey.   read on
	Swift Revelations: Identifying Swifts including Pallid Swift and Asian Common Swift	Saturday 28th October 2006
	Late autumn is the time for Pallid Swift in Britain - or is it? Identification expert Martin Garner takes a look at separating Common Swift and Pallid Swift, but with the extra conundrum of Common Swifts of the race pekinensis thrown in for good measure.

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