Swift is one of the fastest flying birds found worldwide with an average flight speed of around 100 km per hour. They are found in a very large part of the world covering Europe, Asia, Africa, and America. During their migration, they fly through Eurasia to a large part of Southern Africa. They are small with black to dark brown feathers weighing only a few grams. They are similar to swallows and were depicted without feet till the Middle Ages.Among several characteristic features, the distinct ones are the presence of a short forked tail and boomerang-shaped long swept-back wings. They are usually long-lived birds with an average lifetime of 21 years and their litter size is also very small varying between 2-3 eggs. Both the parent swifts help to hatch the eggs for 3-4 weeks.People often find the swift bird to be similar to Swallows, but it is not. There are several physiological and behavioral differences between them. Swifts are more linked with hummingbirds. They have both evolved in parallel pathways sharing several aerial behaviors. One difference between them is striking. Hummingbirds usually lay eggs while flying but swifts lay eggs in their nest.Usually, they stay on the trees in the temperate region during the nesting period, but they have a long history of dwelling in old houses as well. From the turn of the twentieth century, rapid demolition of old buildings and factories to erect new ones, have contributed to the lack of habitat. The decline in the insect population, mainly in urban areas has also contributed to the scarcity of food for the swifts. These factors have significantly affected the swift population, where many of the species have now become endangered and vulnerable. Efforts are being made by several European nations like the Netherland, Great Britain, Switzerland to protect the declining population rate of swifts and to reverse it as much as possible.You may also check out the fact files on chimney swift and cape parrot from Kidadl.
Fun Swift Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Ants, aphids, flies, dragonflies, wasps, bees
What do they eat? Insectivorous
Average litter size? 2-3
How much do they weigh? Average swift: 1.3 oz (38 g) Pygmy swiftlet: 0.2 oz (5.8 g ) Purple needletail: 6.4 oz (184 g)
How long are they? 3.1 -9.8 in (7.8-25 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Black to dark brown, and pale throats
Skin Type Feathers
What were their main threats? Human, Declining Insect Population, Demolition Of Old Infrastructures
What is their conservation status? Endangered, Vulnerable, and Near Threatened based on different species
Where you’ll find them? Higher Altitude During Flight, And On Branches Of Trees In The Temperate Region During Nesting
Locations Africa, Europe, Asia, And America
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Apus
Class Aves
Family Apodidae
Swift Interesting FactsWhat type of animal is a swift?Swift is a bird having several species present across the world. The most common species is known simply as ‘Swift’ or ‘common swift’ (Apus apus) falls under the Apodidae family. A vast area in Eurasia, Southern Africa, Latin America is inhabited by them. They are similar to swallows and were depicted without feet till the Middle Ages.What class of animal does a swift belong to?This bird belongs to the kingdom of Animalia and the class of Aves. They are similar to swallows and were depicted without feet till the Middle Ages.How many swifts are there in the world?There are around 100 species within two subfamilies.Where does a swift live?Swifts use tools to make nests for their young in trees of the temperate region, old houses, or buildings especially near chimneys, on the terrace. They cover a large geographic range through various continents in the north, south, and east. The common swift (Apus apus) is found in Eurasia and a vast part of Africa like Congo, Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Tanzania. Some species are found in temperate regions like India, China, Japan, and some species are located in South America.What is a swift’s habitat?Swifts being migratory birds, live in colder areas during summer and migrates to the temperate regions during winter. Swifts make nests for their young in trees of the temperate region, walls of old houses or buildings especially near chimneys, on the terrace for breeding. They cover a large geographic range through various continents in the north, south, and east. Who do swifts live with?They usually live with their partners in the swifts nest, where they carry on breeding, lay eggs in holes and hatch the eggs in the nest for the required period of 3-4 weeks. Swifts make a nest for their young in trees off the ground of the temperate region, old houses especially near the chimney, on the terrace wall.How long does a swift live?Swifts are usually long-living birds, who can survive for as long as 21 years. This is the reason that their litter size is very small.How do they reproduce?Swifts make pairs as early as when they are one year old. They are capable of breeding in the air on their wings. However, they cannot build swifts nests at that time and it takes almost four years to effectively build the nest using saliva. Importantly, swifts pair for life. So, they meet at the same nest area each springtime. They lay two to three eggs at a time after breeding with a gap of two to three days. The hatching period starts from day one till 19-20 days on average per egg. All adults are dutiful to the nest during this hatching period. Swifts make a nest for their young in trees of the temperate region, old houses especially near the chimney, on the terrace.What is their conservation status?Least Concern (common swift), Endangered (Guam swiftlet), Vulnerable (dark-rumped, Atiu, Seychelles, Schouteden’s, and Tahiti swiftlets), and Near Threatened (many other swift species). Swift Fun FactsWhat does swift look like?Swifts are small to medium-sized birds having the feather color of black to dark brown and forked tails. If you carefully notice, they have a pale throat. Their wings are thin but long having a crescent shape very similar to a boomerang. Swiftlet’s wingtip bones are significantly longer than those of most other birds.How cute are they?Although swifts are not one of the exquisitely colorful birds, their beautiful forked tails with a pair of crescent-shaped wings make them a great site. Their cuteness or beauty gets enhanced when viewed as a group. They fly in flocks making different patterns in the sky.How do they communicate?Swifts communicate by screaming, and they are quite popular (or unpopular to few) for their screaming prowess. They can scream at a very high pitch compared to their size. You can find them screaming while they are flocking together and trying to communicate with other swift(s). Even during their nesting, they start screaming in groups to communicate with the nesting birds.How big is a swift?Swifts are small to medium-sized birds. They are found in a variety of sizes. The smallest one found to date is for the pygmy swiftlet which measures around 3.1 in (8 cm) which is similar to the size of your little finger. The largest size is found in the purple needletail, whose length is around 9.8 in (25 cm) which is very similar to the size of a pigeon. They are similar to swallows.How fast can a swift fly?The fastest bird swift uses its wing and tail for a quick flight. The common swift can fly at a speed of 69 mi/s (31 m/s). That is more than 68.3 mph (110 kph). Among the larger swift species, the fastest one is reported to be a white-throated needletail. They can ramp up the speed to as high as 105 mph (169 kph).The reason behind the extraordinary speed lies in their bone structure and legs. They can change the angle between their forelegs, especially between their wingtips much more than the other birds. This alteration results in much higher flying efficiency with enhanced maneuverability at varying speeds.In this regard, they are very close to the hummingbird family who can rotate their wing from the base. This enhances the upstroke and down-stroke efficiency of the wings. The upstroke provides a negative thrust whereas the downstroke produces the lift and thrust. The combination of both further improves the aerodynamics of the flying swift.How much does a swift weigh?The lightest swift bird recorded to date is the pygmy swiftlet which weighs around 0.1 oz (5.4 g). The heaviest bird is found in the purple needletail, whose weight is around 6.4 oz (184 g).What are the male and female names of the species?No specific names for males or females as they are hard to distinguish even on the hands.What would you call a baby swift?There is no specific name available for a baby swift bird of this species.What do they eat?The normal food for Apus apus is flying insects like ants, aphids, flies, dragonflies, wasps, bees.Are they friendly?They are friendly to humans as they do not interfere in human activity.Would they make a good pet?Swifts are migratory birds, spending a large fraction on air. It is against their living pattern to be confined within a very small space. It will not be ideal to put them in a swift bird house. That is why, when the swift migrates to a different destination during winter, those places become attractive for viewers.Did you know…Swifts can survive without food for more than 48 hours by going into a hibernation-like state called a semi torpid state.There is swift bird symbolism in some places where it is believed that seeing swifts or hearing their call is supposed to signal weather change. Types of swiftsIn total, there are 113 species of swifts are recognized by the International Ornithological Congress (IOC). There are four tribes and 19 genera. Some popular variants are listed here: American black swift, Alpine swift, Blue swift, White-chested swift, Spot-fronted swift, White-chinned swift, White-fronted swift, Chestnut-collared swift, White-collared swift, Plume-toed swiftlet, Pygmy swiftlet, Seychelles swiftlet, Indian swiftlet, Mountain swiftlet Australian swiftlet, Philippine spine-tailed swift, Mottled spinetail, Black spinetail.How long can a swift fly without landing?For as long as three to four years. They can spend the maximum portion of their life while flying. They eat flying insects. They even can mate while flying. They use their wings during mating. They only land at the time of nesting.Do swifts sleep while flying?Yes, they can sleep on their wings when airborne. As they can fly non-stop from one continent to other during their migration without landing their legs on the ground, they have adapted to this lifestyle during evolution.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these ortolans facts and weaver bird facts pages.You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our Common Swift coloring pages.
What type of animal is a swift?
Swift is a bird having several species present across the world. The most common species is known simply as ‘Swift’ or ‘common swift’ (Apus apus) falls under the Apodidae family. A vast area in Eurasia, Southern Africa, Latin America is inhabited by them. They are similar to swallows and were depicted without feet till the Middle Ages.
Fun Swift Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Ants, aphids, flies, dragonflies, wasps, bees
What do they eat? Insectivorous
Average litter size? 2-3
How much do they weigh? Average swift: 1.3 oz (38 g) Pygmy swiftlet: 0.2 oz (5.8 g ) Purple needletail: 6.4 oz (184 g)
How long are they? 3.1 -9.8 in (7.8-25 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Black to dark brown, and pale throats
Skin Type Feathers
What were their main threats? Human, Declining Insect Population, Demolition Of Old Infrastructures
What is their conservation status? Endangered, Vulnerable, and Near Threatened based on different species
Where you’ll find them? Higher Altitude During Flight, And On Branches Of Trees In The Temperate Region During Nesting
Locations Africa, Europe, Asia, And America
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Apus
Class Aves
Family Apodidae
Fun Swift Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Ants, aphids, flies, dragonflies, wasps, bees
What do they eat? Insectivorous
Average litter size? 2-3
How much do they weigh? Average swift: 1.3 oz (38 g) Pygmy swiftlet: 0.2 oz (5.8 g ) Purple needletail: 6.4 oz (184 g)
How long are they? 3.1 -9.8 in (7.8-25 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Black to dark brown, and pale throats
Skin Type Feathers
What were their main threats? Human, Declining Insect Population, Demolition Of Old Infrastructures
What is their conservation status? Endangered, Vulnerable, and Near Threatened based on different species
Where you’ll find them? Higher Altitude During Flight, And On Branches Of Trees In The Temperate Region During Nesting
Locations Africa, Europe, Asia, And America
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Apus
Class Aves
Family Apodidae
Fun Swift Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Ants, aphids, flies, dragonflies, wasps, bees
What do they eat? Insectivorous
Average litter size? 2-3
How much do they weigh? Average swift: 1.3 oz (38 g) Pygmy swiftlet: 0.2 oz (5.8 g ) Purple needletail: 6.4 oz (184 g)
How long are they? 3.1 -9.8 in (7.8-25 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Black to dark brown, and pale throats
Skin Type Feathers
What were their main threats? Human, Declining Insect Population, Demolition Of Old Infrastructures
What is their conservation status? Endangered, Vulnerable, and Near Threatened based on different species
Where you’ll find them? Higher Altitude During Flight, And On Branches Of Trees In The Temperate Region During Nesting
Locations Africa, Europe, Asia, And America
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Apus
Class Aves
Family Apodidae
Fun Swift Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Ants, aphids, flies, dragonflies, wasps, bees
What do they eat? Insectivorous
Average litter size? 2-3
How much do they weigh? Average swift: 1.3 oz (38 g) Pygmy swiftlet: 0.2 oz (5.8 g ) Purple needletail: 6.4 oz (184 g)
How long are they? 3.1 -9.8 in (7.8-25 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Black to dark brown, and pale throats
Skin Type Feathers
What were their main threats? Human, Declining Insect Population, Demolition Of Old Infrastructures
What is their conservation status? Endangered, Vulnerable, and Near Threatened based on different species
Where you’ll find them? Higher Altitude During Flight, And On Branches Of Trees In The Temperate Region During Nesting
Locations Africa, Europe, Asia, And America
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Apus
Class Aves
Family Apodidae
What do they prey on? Ants, aphids, flies, dragonflies, wasps, bees
What do they eat? Insectivorous
Average litter size? 2-3
How much do they weigh? Average swift: 1.3 oz (38 g) Pygmy swiftlet: 0.2 oz (5.8 g ) Purple needletail: 6.4 oz (184 g)
How long are they? 3.1 -9.8 in (7.8-25 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Black to dark brown, and pale throats
Skin Type Feathers
What were their main threats? Human, Declining Insect Population, Demolition Of Old Infrastructures
What is their conservation status? Endangered, Vulnerable, and Near Threatened based on different species
Where you’ll find them? Higher Altitude During Flight, And On Branches Of Trees In The Temperate Region During Nesting
Locations Africa, Europe, Asia, And America
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Apus
Class Aves
Family Apodidae
What do they prey on? Ants, aphids, flies, dragonflies, wasps, bees
What do they eat? Insectivorous
Average litter size? 2-3
How much do they weigh? Average swift: 1.3 oz (38 g) Pygmy swiftlet: 0.2 oz (5.8 g ) Purple needletail: 6.4 oz (184 g)
How long are they? 3.1 -9.8 in (7.8-25 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Black to dark brown, and pale throats
Skin Type Feathers
What were their main threats? Human, Declining Insect Population, Demolition Of Old Infrastructures
What is their conservation status? Endangered, Vulnerable, and Near Threatened based on different species
What do they prey on?
Ants, aphids, flies, dragonflies, wasps, bees
What do they eat?
Insectivorous
Average litter size?
2-3
How much do they weigh?
Average swift: 1.3 oz (38 g) Pygmy swiftlet: 0.2 oz (5.8 g ) Purple needletail: 6.4 oz (184 g)
How long are they?
3.1 -9.8 in (7.8-25 cm)
How tall are they?
N/A
What do they look like?
Black to dark brown, and pale throats
Skin Type
Feathers
What were their main threats?
Human, Declining Insect Population, Demolition Of Old Infrastructures
What is their conservation status?
Endangered, Vulnerable, and Near Threatened based on different species
Where you’ll find them? Higher Altitude During Flight, And On Branches Of Trees In The Temperate Region During Nesting
Locations Africa, Europe, Asia, And America
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Apus
Class Aves
Family Apodidae
Where you’ll find them?
Higher Altitude During Flight, And On Branches Of Trees In The Temperate Region During Nesting
Locations
Africa, Europe, Asia, And America
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Apus
Kingdom
Animalia
Genus
Apus
Class Aves
Family Apodidae
