Common Swift

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Common swift factsheet Name: Common swift (Dutch: gierzwaluw) Latin: Apus apus Order: Apodiformes Weight: 43 grams Span: 42 cm Length: 18 cm Wing surface: 130 cm^2 (wings fully extended) Dimensions and weight are averages for male common swifts. A common swift in flight. Source: Ran Schols, www.pbase.com/ranschols/swift Flight Swifts can stay in the air without landing for a very long time. Swifts are known to fly non-stop for over a whole year, and perform almost all of their vital behaviour on the wing, including eating, mating, and even sleeping. Being dependent on its flying skills for survival and success in terms of feeding and reproduction, swifts have developed into acrobatic flyers and hungry insect-eaters that go through the sky like a vacuum cleaner. The swift is equipped with a wide beak to catch its prey, and eats up to 20.000 insects per day. Wing build-up The wing of a common swift can be divided into arm and hand wing. In the common swift, the hand wing’s surface is several times larger than the arm wing. Less aerial species of bird have lower surface ratios. The swift’s arm wing has 7 flight feathers, and the hand wing has 11 flight feathers. Morphing the wing Underneath its wing feathers, the common swift has muscles, tendons, and joints that allow it to adjust several parameters of the wing geometry. These include the wing sweep, the wing surface, the local airfoil camber (curvature of a wing cross-section), and the aspect ratio (wing slenderness). The beak of the common swift is used to catch insects in flight. In-flight mating Source: Graham Catley, www.nyctea.co.uk References: ANWB Vogelgids, ANWB Uitgeverij Boeken, 2005 John J. Videler, Avian Flight, Oxford University Press, 2005..

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Cali Types of the Common Swift Apus Apus: Aduit Cali Given at the Nest
Avocetta W 17: 141-146 (1993) Cali types of the Common Swift Apus apus: aduIt cali given at the nest VrNCENT BRETAGNOLLE CEBC-CNRS,F-79360-Beauvoirsur Niort, France Abstract - Vocalizations of the Common Swifts were studi ed during two consecutive springs in southern France. I found that three cali types were given by the adults at the nest, and these are described quantitatively. Significant differences in the acoustic parameters of the calls are highlighted, as well as. a probable sexual dimorphism. This, together with the precise signification of the different cali types, rernam however to be critically assessed by playback experiments. Introduction France), where a large colony is easily accessible for field studies (for further details, see Gory, this Swifts (Order Apodiformes) are unusual among birds volume).A sample of 22 accessible nests was because many of their Iife history traits (i.e. longevity, selected, for which extensive data on breeding biology delayed maturity, large egg size) make them atypical and breeding success were also available dating from compared to similar-sized birds (Lack 1956, Gaillard 1978 (Gory et Jeantet 1986). The birds were tape et al. 1989), and convergent evolution of life histories recorded by Uher 4400 or Nagra IV at a speed of 19.5 with, e.g., long lived seabirds such as cmJs, on Agfa PE43 tapes, and with a Seinnheiser Procellariiformes, have been suggested repeatedly omnidirectional microphone MD421 placed within, or (e.g. Lack and Lack 1951, Malacarne et al. 1991). at the entrance of, the nesting cavity. Calls were Although investigations have been carried out on the analysed on a Real Time Spectrograph, which Common Swift Apus apus with regard to demography performs a fast Fourier transform (Richard 1991) at a (Lack 1956, Perrins 1971, Lebreton et al.
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Fastest Migration Highest
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An Overview of Apus Apus-And Apus Apus Pekinensis Swifts Have Been Around for About 50 Million Years!
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