The swift is a medium-sized aerial bird, which is a superb flier.

It evens sleeps on the wing! It is plain sooty brown, but in flight against the sky it appears black. It has long, scythe-like wings and a short, forked tail.

It is a summer visitor, breeding across the UK, but most numerously in the south and east. It winters in Africa.

Latin name

Apus apus

Family

Swifts (Apodidae)

Where to see them

Look up in the sky in summer, often very high. They never perch on wires like swallows. You might see excited screaming parties of them careering madly at high speed around rooftops and houses, often low, especially towards dusk.

When to see them

April – August.

What they eat

Flying insects and airborne spiders.

Click on any of the birds below to find out all you need to know!

• The Barn Owl
• The Blackbird
• The Canada Goose
• The Golden Eagle
• The Herring Gull
• The Magpie
• The Puffin
• The Robin
• The Swallow
• The Swift