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14

Common Swift

(Apus apus)
Alternate name(s): "Swift*"
German name(s): "Mauersegler"

Size: 17-18.5 cm; wingspan: 40-44 cm
Weight: 30-55 g

Similar
species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Common Swift at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Common Swift in flight; note the small throat patch and grey frons (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, May 2020]

Near-frontal view of a Common Swift in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2019]

Near-frontal/ventral view of a Common Swift in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2019]

Lateral view of a Common Swift in flight, wings down (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, May 2020]

Lateral view of a Common Swift in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2019]

Lateral view of a Common Swift in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2019]

Lateral view of a Common Swift in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2019]

Lateral view of a Common Swift in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2020]

Lateral/ventral view of a Common Swift in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2020]

Lateral/ventral view of two Common Swifts in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2015]

Lateral/ventral view of a Pallid Swift in flight; note the large light-grey throat patch- the bird is probably calling, inflating the voice box, which makes the throat patch looks distended like a full crop (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Nova Milfontes, Alentejo, Portugal, October 2018]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a Common Swift in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2019]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Apr - Sep Eggs: 1 - 4 Incubation period: 19 - 20 days Fledging age: 27 - 45 days

Usually two eggs are laid.

Nest building: Male selects site Incubation: Female & male Dependent care: Female & male

Common Swifts nest in loose colonies of up to 30-40 pairs, with each pair defending the immediate surroundings of its nest. Only one brood is produced per season, due to the long fledging period of the young.

Nest

Type: Hole/hollow in building, tree, cliff, crevace Material: Grass, leaves, hay, straw Height above ground: ?

Common Swift entering its nest hollow (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2017]

Common Swift approaching the entrance to its nest hollow (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2015]

Common Swifts outside the entrance to their nest hollow (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2017]

Common Swift, lower right, pinching nest material from one of many House Sparrow nests in the understorey of a White Stork nest (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2019]

Common Swift carrying away nest material (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2019]

Eggs

Size: 25 x 17 mm Colour: White Shape: Long tapered oval

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal Mobility: Migratory Elementary unit: Pair/flock

Common Swifts have the unique ability to mate in-flight.

Common Swifts can perform extreme flight manoeuvres (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2019]

Food, Diet

Like other swifts, Common Swifts are insect hunters. They catch and devour their prey in-flight. Common Swifts also drink in-flight and, apart from nesting, will always be airborne.

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

comswft_jp_20200604.m4a (Portugal) Contact calls (in-flight) © JP
comswft_jp_20200605.m4a (Portugal) Contact calls (in-flight) © JP
comswft_jp_20190616.m4a (Portugal) Contact calls (in-flight) © JP
comswft_jp_20190616_2.m4a (Portugal) Contact calls (in-flight) © JP
comswft_dw_20160529.m4a (Poland) Contact calls (in-flight; distant) © DW
comswft_dw_20160728.m4a (Poland) Contact calls (in-flight; distant) © DW
comswft_dw_20170729.m4a (Poland) Hawking for insects (in-flight; distant) © DW

More Common Swift sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site?
If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.