Those screaming cries, that wheeling flight – the sound and sight of summer.
Photo: © Alexis Lours, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Scientific name: Apus apus
Other common names: Common Swift
Conservation status: UK conservation status: Red
What to look for:
- Family: Apodidae
- Colouring and appearance: Dark brown with a small pale area on their throat; short tail; classic scythe shape of the narrow wings in flight
- Size: 16 to 17 cm length, 38 to 40 cm wingspan.
- Where: In the sky! – or swooping round their nesting sites.
- Call: Listen here
- Similar species: Swallow, House Martin, Sand Martin
They migrate almost 7000 miles every year – 3500 miles each way – at the beginning and end of summer, travelling to and from their winter home in Africa. They can fly at speeds of up to nearly 70mph, and are famously almost constantly on the wing, other than when nesting, and even sleep and mate in the air. The sight and sound of Swifts swooping and speeding round their nest sites, filling the air with that high-pitched screaming – called a screaming party – is one of the wonders of summer.
Sadly, Swift numbers in the UK are declining (by 66% between 1995 and 2022, according to the BTO’s Breeding Bird Survey 2023). The reasons are unclear but probably include a decline in the insects they prey upon for food and loss of nesting sites. Swifts do nest in trees and cliffs, but mainly nest in older buildings, such as churches, under the eaves or in small gaps high up in building walls, but modern building renovations can lead to these sites being destroyed. Swifts, which pair for life, are faithful to where they nest – imagine arriving after a 3500-mile journey to find your nest site has been blocked.
We can help, though. Incorporate a Swift nest box or Swift brick onto your home, and you’ll be giving a new generation of Swifts a home, too. On The Lizard, Wildlife Groundswell run an initiative specifically supporting the conservation of Swifts, Swallows and Martins, so why not check it out.
Did you know…?
…the scientific name Apus is derived from the Ancient Greek meaning ‘without feet’. The very short legs of the Swift, which it uses for holding on to vertical surfaces, meant it was once thought to be a kind of legless Swallow.
…Swifts can fly up to 10,000 feet, and they sleep at this altitude, though only with half their brain – the other half keeps track of their location to make sure they wake up in the same place high in the sky.
More information and references:
Svensson, L., Mullarney, K., Zetterstrom, D.,1986. Collins Bird Guide, second edition (translated by Christie, D., Svensson, L.). HarperCollins, London.
Published: June 2025
Author: Amanda Scott
Photos: Upper – © Alexis Lours, CC BY 4.0; lower – © AlexeySokolov1971, CC BY-SA 4.0; both via Wikimedia Commons