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Bird✓ Protected species

Swift

Apus apus

✓What to do NOW

  1. 1Pick it up gently from the ground, holding it between cupped hands
  2. 2A swift on the ground cannot take off by itself: this is not abandonment, it is a physical trait (legs too short to launch)
  3. 3If adult and apparently uninjured: hold in cupped hands for 15–20 minutes to warm it, then take to a high place (first-floor window or above) and open hands pointing skyward — if healthy it will fly
  4. 4If it does not fly or is a juvenile: ventilated dark box, 20–22°C
  5. 5Contact a specialist CRAS — swifts have very specific dietary needs

✗NEVER do this

  • ✗Do not give water with a syringe or dropper — pulmonary aspiration is almost certain and lethal
  • ✗Do not feed without CRAS instructions: the diet is live insects only (crickets, mealworms) in precise proportions
  • ✗Do not keep in an open cage or with other birds
  • ✗Do not throw from ground level — it needs height to build gliding speed
  • ✗Do not keep at temperatures above 25°C

⚠ Important note

Swifts cannot eat while stationary: they catch insects in flight. Manual feeding (July–August, juvenile season) requires specific technique. Without proper care, a juvenile dies within 48 hours. Specialist CRAS handle dozens of swifts in summer — always contact them before attempting anything.

⚖ Legal protection

Protected by Law 157/1992. Removing nests or disturbing nesting (even in private buildings) is prohibited.

Also known as

common swiftpallid swiftalpine swift

Did you find a swift right now?

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