Apus Apus
Characteristics
Their wingspan can reach up to 40cm.
They have dark brown bodies & wide, crescent-shaped wings.
Short forked tail, body length up to 16cm.
Small, weak feet, they can only cling onto surfaces vertically & shuffle awkwardly on the ground.
Migration
For the winter months, Swifts disappear off to Africa.
They would travel 3,400 miles twice a year.
Towards the end of April, you will start to notice Swifts appearing back in Ireland, they spend they summer visit to breed.
Breeding
They like to breed in urban areas throughout Ireland.
They pair for life & return to the same area each year to breed.
Unfortunately, the swift population is declining. Why? There could be a lot of possible reasons for this, environment is possibly the biggest factor.
Did you know?
A group of Swifts is called a scream.
Swift can fly around two million miles – that’s equivalent to more than four trips to the Moon and back!
References:
Swift bird facts | apus apus. Available at: https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/swift (Accessed: 24 April 2025).
Swift (2023) BirdWatch Ireland. Available at: https://birdwatchireland.ie/birds/swift/ (Accessed: 24 April 2025).
