Swift Facts for Kids

For other uses, see Swift (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids Swifts

Common Swift, Apus apus Note wing shape different from swallows
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Apodiformes
Family:	Apodidae Hartert, 1897

Swifts in action

The swift is a super fast bird that spends almost all its life flying! It belongs to a bird family called Apodidae. Swifts are related to treeswifts and hummingbirds. They are amazing flyers.

The scientific name for the swift is apus. This name comes from an Ancient Greek word that means "without feet". This is because swifts have very small and weak feet. They mostly use their feet to hold onto vertical surfaces, like the side of a house or a cliff. Swifts usually try not to land on the ground. People once thought they couldn't take off from the ground, but they can, though it's a bit tricky for them.

Amazing Swift Abilities
- Swift Wings and Tail
- Where Swifts Live
Swift Nests
- Nests Made of Saliva
Images for kids
See also

Amazing Swift Abilities

Swifts are small birds, but they are incredibly good and fast at flying. Some swifts can fly at speeds of 5 to 14 meters per second. If a swift needs to go super fast, it can zoom at 60 meters per second for a short time! When they are catching insects, they fly in quick swoops. They change direction very fast as they chase their prey.

Swift Wings and Tail

Swifts have long, curved wings. Their wings are shaped like a sickle or a boomerang. This special shape helps them fly so well. They also have a forked tail, which means it looks like a V shape.

Where Swifts Live

You can find swifts all over the world. They prefer to live in warmer places. Swifts are known for their long migrations every year. For example, many swifts fly to Europe in the spring and summer. When the weather starts to get cold in autumn, these swifts fly all the way to Africa where it is much warmer.

Swift Nests

Swifts are clever builders when it comes to their nests. They often make their nests in corners, like where two walls meet. You might see them nesting near the roof of a house or in rocky areas inside a cave. They build their cup-shaped nests using mud and their own saliva (which is like spit).

Nests Made of Saliva

Some types of swifts, found in the genus Aerodramus, use only their saliva to build their nests! These nests become very hard when they dry. In parts of Asia, people collect these unique nests. They use them to make a special dish called bird's nest soup. This soup is very popular, especially in China.