Swift - The ‘Footless’ Bird
The swift birds belong to the family of Apodidae and are considered to be highly aerial birds. There are around or more than 75 different species of swifts all around the world except few regions such as the southern parts of Chile, Argentina, near the Polar regions, New Zealand and Australia. The swift birds are considered to be very similar to the swallows but are not closely related to any passerine species.
Swifts are part of the Apodiformes order, which also includes hummingbirds. The treeswifts are related to genuine swifts, although they belong to a different family, the Hemiprocnidae. Swift and swallow resemblances are due to convergent evolution, which reflects similar lifestyles centred on capturing insects in flight.
The family name, Apodidae is derived from the Greek which means footless which is a reference to the small, weak legs of these most aerial of birds. Few species of the swifts are considered to be endangered due to habitat destruction, predation, and lack of food.
In this article, we are going to discuss the Swift bird, its description, habitat, behaviour, reproduction, and also a few of the most important questions related to the fastest bird swift will be answered.
Physical Description of Swift Birds
Common swifts are about 16 to 17 centimetres in length and have a wingspan of 42 to 48 centimetres long and it all depends on the age of the individuals. Common swifts are black-brown with the exception of a white to cream-coloured chin and throat and it is located directly underneath the beak.
In comparison to the rest of the body, the topside of the flight feathers is a lighter brown-black. The fairly forked tail feathers, thin, sickle-shaped wings, and loud, shrieking cry of Apus apus help to identify it. Swallows are commonly confused for the Apus apus. Apus apus are bigger than swallows and have a completely distinct wing form and flying style.
In the family of Apodidae, all the species possess a unique morphological characteristic. The swift birds have a lateral “grasping foot” in which toes of one and two are opposed by the toes three and four.
The grasping foot permits common swifts to use locations that would be difficult for other birds to use, such as rock walls, chimneys, and other vertical surfaces. Males and females of the Apus apus species are sexually monomorphic, which means they appear similar.
In terms of appearance, there has been no seasonal or regional variation recorded. Juveniles may be distinguished from adults by a minor variation in the richness and uniformity of their colour, as juveniles are often blacker in hue, with a pale forehead, white-fringed feathers, and a starker white patch under the beak. At close range, this difference is most noticeable.
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Distribution and Habitat of the Swift Birds
From western Europe to eastern Asia, from northern Scandinavia and northern Siberia to North Africa, the Himalayas, and central China, the swift may be found virtually anywhere. During the mating season, the Apus apus may be found across its area, and after migration, it spends the winter months in Southern Africa, from Zaire and Tanzania south to Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
The maximum breeding habitat of the swift birds is located in the temperate zones as there are suitable trees that would help them to build comfortable nests and also they would have sufficient open spaces in which they could fly and gather food.
Swift birds, on the other hand, spend the months after their migration into Africa in a tropical environment. Swifts have been seen reproducing at elevations ranging from sea level to several thousand meters. Swift birds prefer locations with trees or structures with open spaces, and owing to a unique physical adaption shared by all swifts, they may nest on vertical surfaces such as rock walls and chimneys.
Behaviour of Swift Birds
The swift birds are considered to be a highly sociable species as they are always found in a group with other swift birds and the group could consist of black swift, spine tailed swift or even an Indian swift bird. Throughout the year the common swift builds the nest, roost, migrate and hunt for food only in the group. Furthermore, they are one of a kind in their capacity to stay airborne for long periods of time. These swifts frequently spend the whole day on the wing, only descending to feed their young or roost at night.
It has been estimated by many people that the common swift bird flies at least 560 miles per day during the nesting season which is enough to showcase their endurance, strength, and their tremendous aerial ability. They are also been observed to mate and search for food while they are in midair.
When the weather is poor that is if it’s cold, windy, and wet, in these weather conditions the common swift bird fly in lower airspace and if permeable will move to higher air space if the required weather conditions are not met.
Communication and Food Habits
The use of various vocalizations, or cries, and variations in body language are nearly solely used by common swift birds to communicate. Swift birds employ a variety of sounds, which are primarily determined by their age. Adults make different calls than children do. Adults employ the most frequent cry during flight, a lengthy, shrill "sreee," in a variety of situations. Adult vocalizations include those made during allopreening which is a nested call, those made after loss in a battle, and those made before copulation are called the pre-copulatory call. The food call is the most common call made by children to ask for food from their parents when they return.
The swift birds are insectivorous in nature and they completely feed on aerial insects and spiders that they gather in their mouth as they glide through the air while they are flying. The insects are collected together within the throat with the help of a salivary gland product to create a meal ball or bolus. Swift birds are drawn to swarms of insects because they make it easier for them to acquire enough food. The average number of insects in each bolus is expected to be 300. Few of the most commonly consumed insects are wasps, bees, and ants
Reproduction
The swift bird’s first breed at two years of age but the age at which they breed can vary and it is all based upon the availability of the nesting sites. They are considered to be a monogamous species and they are very faithful to the nesting sites and the mates during the breeding season.
The male swift bird takes upon himself to choose the proper nesting site and after the arrival of the female which is usually within a period of days, the nesting site is protected by the pairs.
The nest is composed of grass, leaves, hay, flower petals, and straws. The nesting location generally consists of the nest and the regions immediately surrounding it. Courtship, copulation, and chick raising all take place at this location. The gregarious character of the common swift mating system is reflected in swift bird colonies, which generally have 30 to 40 nest sites.
Swift birds are more likely to protect a nesting location than they are to defend a partner in a battle. Prior to their meeting, males entice female partners by establishing a nice nesting location. It's fairly uncommon for potential mates, both male, and female, to react aggressively when they meet for the first time. If the female is unpaired and interested, she will gently visit the nest site, asking her possible partner to brush her chin with its beak. If the encounter goes well, the female may ask her possible mate to allopreening as well. Allopreening is the procedure by which birds use their beaks or bills to smooth or clean one other's feathers. The pair-bonding process helps in beginning the mutual action.
Swift birds generally breed from late April to early May until the young are fledged in mid-September. The capacity of swift birds to mate while in flight is one of the species' most distinguishing features, however, they may also mate when on the nest. Mating takes place every few days after the arrival of appropriate weather until the young have fledged. Following successful copulation, one to four white eggs may be deposited, however, two is the most typical clutch size. After that, the eggs must be carefully nurtured for 20 days to allow the embryos to develop. Both parents take part in the clutch's incubation. It takes additional 45 days for the fledging to occur after the young ones hatch.
Following fertilization and before hatching, both parents take turns incubating the brood. The clutch is generally brooded all day for the first week after hatching. The young are brooded for about half of the day during the second week. Until the clutch is fledged, they are seldom brooded during the day and nearly always covered at night for the rest of the period.
Both parents are equally involved in all phases of child-rearing. If particularly harsh weather persists or food supplies become sparse during the period immediately following the hatching of the young, the young have the potential to go into a semi-torpid, hibernation-like condition, lowering the energy needs of their fast-expanding bodies. This modification permits baby swift birds to live for 10 to 15 days on very little food.
The young swift birds are nearly entirely nourished in the nest from the moment they hatch until they leave. The young are given food boluses, which are made up of insects collected by the parents during flight and kept together by a salivary gland product. The young will share a feeding bolus while they are still tiny. However, when children get older, they are able to swallow a whole food bolus by themselves.
FAQs on Swift Bird
1.List Out All the Important Facts Related to the Common Swift?
Here is the list of all the important facts related to the swift bird:
Swift birds have a forked tail and a soft, slightly curved beak. It also has a chunky body, elongated, thin wings, and a chunky body.
Swift birds have movable bristles over the eyes that act as sunglasses, shielding the eyes from the sun.
Swift is a fantastic flier who spends nearly his whole life in the air. In the air, it sleeps, eats, drinks, and mates. Swift only returns to the earth to give birth to children.
Swifts birds are diurnal birds, meaning they are active during the day and sleep at night.
Swift birds eat flies, mosquitoes, aphids, beetles, and other insects, as well as spiders.
Swift birds can grow to 4 to 9 inches long and weigh 2 to 7 ounces(I kilogram)
Swift birds have light-coloured patterns on the neck, throat, belly, and rump and are coated in grey, brown, or black plumage.
Swift birds are one of the world's quickest birds. It can go more than 124.000 miles every year at a speed of 70 to 115 miles per hour.
Swifts birds in temperate climates are migratory. Swifts from Europe fly between 4.000 and 6.000 miles each year to reach Africa.
Swifts birds are preyed upon by falcons, hobbies, kestrels, and a few species of owls.
Swift birds can fly up to 10.000 feet in the air. These birds can fly at night and control the pace and direction of their flight using only half of their brain.
Swift birds prefer to make their nests in ancient buildings, towers, and other towering man-made structures. To build a compact mass, it employs saliva (as adhesive) plus twigs, moss, and branches.
There are different species of swift birds such as the alpine swift bird that were formerly known as the Apus melba. The black swift,asian palm swift are a few of the examples of different swift species.
Swifts and bats utilize sound to navigate, which is another commonality. Some of these birds dwell in caves and rely on echolocation to navigate safely through the dark tunnels.
Female produces 1 to 6 white eggs that hatch after 19 to 26 days of incubation. Unlike other bird species, baby swifts can lower their body temperature and reduce their metabolism to withstand food deprivation. When food becomes accessible, children grow and develop at a rapid rate.
The chicks are looked for by both parents. They carry food balls called boluses, which are made up of 300 to 1000 insects. Chicks begin to strengthen their wing muscles before leaving the nest by lifting their own body weight with their wings. This increases the strength and endurance of wing muscles, ensuring a long life in the air. Chicks leave their nests for the first time at the age of 6 to 10 weeks and never return. In the wild, the swift birds can nearly survive for around 6 years.
2.Give and Explain Few Examples of the Different Types of Swift Birds?
Swift birds are found everywhere in the world and due to this reason there are different types of swift birds.
The Chimney Birds: The chimney bird or the chimney swift scientific name is Chaetura pelagica and it is a bird that belongs to the swift family Apodidae. The chimney birds are the member of the genus Chaetura which are closely related to both the Vaux’s swift and the Chapman’s swift in the past. The chimney swift is a sooty grey medium-sized bird with long, thin wings and small legs. It cannot perch, like all swifts, and can only cling vertically to objects. The chimney swift eats mostly flying insects, although it also eats spiders in the air. It usually stays with the same partner for the rest of its life. It constructs a bracket nest of twigs and saliva on a vertical surface, which is usually invariably a human-made structure, such as a chimney. 4–5 white eggs are laid by the female. After 19 days, the altricial young hatch and fledge a month later. The average lifespan of a chimney swift is 4.6 years.
The Black Swift: The black swift is another bird that belongs to the swift family of Apodidae. Long, angular, and pointed wings characterize this large swift. Totally black, with slight whitish scaling on the belly and forehead on occasion. When fans are in flight, they frequently trail each other. In steep or mountainous locations, seen singly or in small flocks. Breeds on cliffs, frequently near waterfalls. Swifts' wingbeats are slower than those of other swifts. The chattering call notes are lower-pitched than those of the other swifts in the area.
The Spine Tailed Swift: The spine tailed swift is also known as the white-throated needletail or needle-tailed swift. Its scientific name is Hirundapus caudacutus.The spine tailed twist is a large swift bird that belongs to the genus Hirundapas.In horizontal flight, it is said to achieve speeds of up to 170 km/h, although this is unproven because the methods used to determine its speed have not been disclosed. They make their nests in cliff rock cracks or hollow trees. They prefer not to sit on the ground and prefer to spend most of their time in the air. Beetles, flies, bees, and moths are among the tiny flying insects that they eat. Big swifts with a strong, barrel-like body, the spine tailed swifts are large swifts with a robust, barrel-like body. They are around 20 centimetresAsian in length and weigh between 110 and 120 grams. Except for a white neck and a white patch running from the base of the tail to the flanks, they are greyish-brown. The spined end of the Needle-tailed Swift's tail, which is not forked like the normal swifts of the genus Apus, gives the species its name.
