Featured in: Year 1: Seasonal changes
Swift
Bird
A dark, 'boomerang'-shaped bird that arrives in the UK in late spring and leaves at the end of summer.
Seasonal Behaviour:
On warm summer evenings, you might hear loud 'screaming' sounds from high in the sky. This is a group of swifts chasing each other very fast, known as a 'screaming party'. They are very fast, noisy flyers.
💡 Fun Facts
- Swifts spend almost their whole lives in the air. They eat, drink, and even sleep while flying!
- The only time a swift ever lands is to build a small nest (under roof tiles or in cliffs) and lay its eggs.
- They eat flying insects, catching them in their wide mouths like a net.
📅 Through the Year
- In the UK:May to August
- Breeding:May to July