# Common Swift (*Apus apus*) The Common Swift is a small, fast bird that loves to fly high in the sky. They are known for their amazing acrobatics as they swoop and glide through the air. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Also known as:** Eurasian Swift ![Common Swift](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426470/objects/4577.jpg) ## Appearance The Common Swift has a sooty-brown body with long, narrow, scythe-like wings that give it a distinctive boomerang shape in flight. It has a short, forked tail and a small pale throat patch, making it look almost entirely dark against the sky. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Apodiformes - **Family:** Apodidae - **Genus:** Apus ## Interesting facts - Common Swifts often mate high in the air, a tricky feat for flying birds! - The scientific name, Apus, means 'no foot' in Greek, as they rarely land. - Their nests are glued together with their own sticky saliva, mixed with feathers and debris! - Young swifts stay in their nest longer than most birds, up to 56 days! ## Special abilities - **Endless Flight:** Common Swift can fly for many months without landing because of their efficient flight, helping them continuously forage and migrate. - **Aerial Slumber:** Common Swift has the unique ability to sleep while flying, allowing them to rest during incredibly long, non-stop journeys. - **Super Sonic Speed:** Common Swift can reach incredible speeds thanks to their streamlined bodies and powerful wings, helping them expertly chase airborne insects. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 16-17 cm - **Wingspan:** 42-48 cm - **Weight:** 0.035-0.056 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-10 years - **Speed:** 110 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1-4 - **Incubation:** 19-20 days - **Migration Distance:** 6000 km ## Diet & Feeding They catch and eat many types of flying insects, like tiny spiders and aphids, high in the air. - **Primary Foods:** flies, aphids, moths, beetles, spiders, mosquitoes - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Eurasian Hobby (*Falco subbuteo*) — A swift predator that hunts swifts in flight. - **Eats:** House Fly (*Musca domestica*) — Common Swift catches and eats these flies in the air. - **Eats:** Buff-tailed Bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — Swifts will prey on various flying Hymenoptera. - **Shelter:** Black Mold (*Cladosporium sphaerospermum*) — Nests can harbor fungi due to damp, sheltered conditions. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Swifts are safe to watch from a distance. Enjoy their flying skills without trying to catch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Common Swift? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Common Swift? 16-17 cm ### What is Common Swift's wingspan? 42-48 cm ### How much does Common Swift weigh? 0.035-0.056 kg ### How long does Common Swift live? 5-10 years ### How fast can Common Swift move? 110 km/h ### What does Common Swift eat? They catch and eat many types of flying insects, like tiny spiders and aphids, high in the air. ### How does Common Swift hunt? Pursuit ## Where to spot - [Naturpark Harz/Sachsen-Anhalt](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/naturpark-harz-sachsen-anhalt) — Sachsen-Anhalt, DE · Park - [Naturpark Soonwald-Nahe](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/naturpark-soonwald-nahe) — Rheinland-Pfalz, DE · Park - [Campi Flegrei Regional Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/campi-flegrei-regional-park) — IT · Park [View all places to see Common Swift](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/common-swift) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Common Swift: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-swift)