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A Beginners Guide to North American Swifts




Swifts have a short bill, small, weak feet, and long, crescent-shaped
wings which are built for speed. They are some of the fastest flying
birds known. Swifts fly almost continuously  during the day except
in heavy rain.



Chimney Swift

The best known North American swift is the chimney swift. It is
sooty brown above and lighter  beneath, usually attaining a length
of 5.5 inches. Sexes are similar.

Swifts feed mainly on flies, mosquitoes and other small insects.

During migration they roost by the hundreds in tall chimneys.


Bird's Nest Soup

Swifts nest along vertical surfaces, building their nests of various materials glued together  with a cement like substance secreted from their salivary glands.

Some species of the Oriental swiftlet make their nests entirely of this
secretion, which is  the principal ingredient of so-called birds'
nest soup.


4 to 5 mainly white eggs are laid.

Picture Chimney Swift




Swifts belong to the family Apodidae in the order Apodiformes.

Types of North American Swifts Include:

Black Swift
Chimney Swift
White Throated Swift
Vaux's Swift


See Also:

Index of North American Birds


Index of All Bird Care & Birdie Fun Stuff

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