Little swift facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Little swift
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Summer      Resident

The little swift (Apus affinis) is a small bird. It is a type of swift. You can find these birds in Africa and southwestern Asia. Some also live or visit southern Europe. They often live in cities and on rocky cliffs. They build their nests in these places. The name Apus comes from Latin. It means "swift." Ancient people thought swifts were like swallows without feet. The word affinis means "similar to." It's not clear which bird the little swift is similar to. A group of these birds from the east is now called the house swift (Apus nipalensis).

What Does a Little Swift Look Like?

Little swifts are easy to spot because of their small size. Their wingspan is about 33 centimeters (13 inches). This is smaller than the common swift, which has a 42-centimeter (16.5-inch) wingspan. Their feathers are black. But they have a white throat and a white patch on their lower back. This white patch goes down their sides. They have a short, square-shaped tail. The tips of their tail feathers are rounded.

Their flight looks like a house martin's flight. It is quick and fluttering. Their call is a high, chirping sound. Like other swifts, they have very short legs. They use their legs only to hold onto vertical surfaces. They cannot walk on the ground.

How Little Swifts Live and Travel

Little swifts spend most of their lives flying. They catch insects in the air with their beaks. They even drink water while flying! They rest by clinging to vertical cliffs or walls. They never land on the ground by choice.

Unlike the common swift, many little swifts stay in one place all year. But some groups do migrate. These birds fly further south for the winter. They can travel very far during migration. They are sometimes seen in parts of Europe and Asia where they don't usually live.

Reproduction and Nests

Little swifts build their nests near homes and on cliffs. You can find them breeding from southern Spain and Africa. They also breed northeast through southern Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka. They build their nests in holes in buildings. Sometimes they use holes in cliffs. They usually lay 1 to 4 eggs.

A little swift will often return to the same nesting spot each year. They will fix up their old nest if needed. A type of bedbug has been found in their nests in India.

Gallery

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  Back view in India – showing the square, white patch on its lower back

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  A group gathering at sunset in Tanzania

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  Nesting in Hyderabad, India

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  Eggs of Apus affinis