How Much of the Time Is a Common Swift in the Air?

Young common swifts will stay airborne for two to three years, landing only for brief moments to check out possible nesting sites. These birds are able to eat insects caught in mid-air and will drink, sleep and mate while flying.

Common swifts are the only bird that spends this much time on the wing without landing. Even nest building materials are gathered from airborne debris on windy days and are stuck together into a nest with saliva.

The common swift has feet that are ill-adapted to any kind of walking or perching, but can cling to vertical surfaces like cliff faces and the eaves of old houses where they commonly make their nests.

More about swifts:

  • The common swift lives in Europe and Asia during the summer breeding season and migrates to Central and Southern Africa for the rest of the year.
  • The common swift can reach diving speeds of up to 135 miles per hour.
  • In order to stay safely out of reach of predators while sleeping, swifts can drift up to 10,000 feet high during the night. It's likely they sleep in a similar way to dolphins, by shutting down half of their brain at a time to rest.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long can a common swift stay airborne?

Common swifts are remarkable for their aerial endurance. They can stay aloft for up to 10 months without landing, according to research published in the journal 'Nature Communications'. During this time, they eat, sleep, and even mate in the air, only landing to nest.

Do common swifts ever land during their lifetime?

Yes, common swifts do land but very infrequently. They primarily land to breed, building nests in crevices of buildings or cliffs. Outside of the breeding season, they spend their lives in the air, showcasing an extraordinary adaptation to aerial life.

How do common swifts sleep if they are always flying?

Common swifts have adapted to sleep while flying by shutting down parts of their brain in a behavior known as 'unihemispheric slow-wave sleep'. They can rest one hemisphere of their brain at a time, allowing them to maintain flight control and awareness of their surroundings.

What do common swifts eat and how do they feed in the air?

Common swifts feed on airborne insects and spiders. They catch their prey in flight, using their wide, gaping mouths to scoop up insects as they fly. This aerial feeding strategy allows them to stay nourished without the need to land.

Can common swifts drink while flying?

Common swifts are able to drink while in flight by skimming the surface of bodies of water with their beaks open. This ability to hydrate on the wing is another adaptation that supports their almost exclusively airborne lifestyle.

What is the average flight speed of a common swift?

Common swifts are fast and agile fliers, with an average cruising speed of around 30 kilometers per hour (18 miles per hour). However, when chasing prey or during their impressive aerial displays, they can reach speeds of up to 111 kilometers per hour (69 miles per hour), as reported by the British Trust for Ornithology.

Discussion Comments

anon993048

It is a bit hard to imagine how swifts sleep while still flying.

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