Nature Example
💨

Swift

Common Swift in flight
Common Swift in flight
Credit: Wikimedia Commons. Click here for the license

A dark, 'boomerang'-shaped bird that arrives in the UK in late spring and leaves at the end of summer.

Seasonal Behaviour:

On warm summer evenings, you might hear loud 'screaming' sounds from high in the sky. This is a group of swifts chasing each other very fast, known as a 'screaming party'. They are very fast, noisy flyers.

💡 Fun Facts

  • Swifts spend almost their whole lives in the air. They eat, drink, and even sleep while flying!
  • The only time a swift ever lands is to build a small nest (under roof tiles or in cliffs) and lay its eggs.
  • They eat flying insects, catching them in their wide mouths like a net.