Swifts (Apus apus) are one of the birds best adapted to flight, so much so that they sleep in the air and only They pose during the nesting season. Their nest is a kind of little basket that they build in the holes in the walls of old houses. For this reason, they depend on this type of construction, whose disappearance or reform is their main threat. In fact, swifts have lost 40% of their population in the last 20 years.
During heat waves, young swift chicks may jump out of the nest to avoid dying inside. Once they fall to the ground, their parents cannot feed them due to their extreme adaptation to flight. Therefore, unlike the rest of the birds, they are the only chicks that need our help. Do you want to know how to help them? Don't miss this article on our site about the swift breeding: care and feeding.
What to do if I find a swift?
Unlike other birds, swifts cannot perch on the ground. It is because their legs are very short and their feet are very small. They only have strong claws with four fingers that allow them to cling to the roughness of the walls. In addition, they have very large wings and cannot take flight from the ground. For this reason, when a baby swift falls out of the nest, its parents cannot go down to feed it, as is the case with other birds. That is why we must help them
The first thing we have to do when we find a swift is pick it up and put it on the palm of our hand. If it is an adult, it will pull by the hand to later take flight. If this does not happen, it may be a chick or juvenile, or an injured adult. So what to do with a baby swift? In these cases, we should put it in a box and take it as soon as possible to a wildlife recovery center. It is not recommended to give him food or drink, since we can do it wrong.
Although these guidelines are the best, recovery centers are often overwhelmed with chicks. Therefore, if you have found a young swift, it is common for them to ask you to take care of it yourself. If you agree to do it, you should know that these birds require a lot of care For this reason, you must have a lot of time, be very constant and, above all, be patient. Next, we give you some guidelines on how to raise a swift.
Swift care
A baby swift should not be put inside a cage, as it can damage its feathers. During all the time that the brooding lasts, the chick must always stay inside a box of medium size, like a shoebox. We must make holes so that the bird can breathe and fill the bottom with absorbent paper. This paper must always be kept clean and changed every time the swift defecates.
The chosen box must be placed in a warm, dark and quiet place This way, it will be warm and quiet until the time comes to release it. We will only disturb it during feedings, which should be done every hour if the chick does not yet have feathers. Juvenile swifts, which already have feathers and little down, feed approximately every 3 hours.
Another very important care for any bird is its feathers. A swift with damaged feathers will not be able to fly. For this reason, it is very important that we touch it only to feed it. Before that, we have to wash our hands well to remove all kinds of particles and our natural fat. If possible, it is best to wrap it with a cloth, so that our hands do not touch it. It's also important to hold him firmly, but loosely, so his wings can't move and his feathers don't break.
What does a swift eat? - Adult and baby
There is a lot of information on the web about swift farming, which is often very dangerous. Feeding a swift improperly can cause he alth problems and even lead to death. Swifts do not eat pet food nor do they eat meat, eggs or birdseed.
These birds only feed on insects that they catch during the flight, since they are insectivorous animals. To do this, they keep their huge beak open, catching any flying insect that gets in their way. In this way, the adults feed while flying. Then they fill their mouths with insects and bring them to their young. Therefore, to raise a swift at home, we must give it exclusively insects. The most recommended is a mixed diet of tenebrio larvae (Tenebrio mollitor) and crickets (family Gryllidae). We can find them in any pet food store, as well as online stores that ship directly to your home.
How much does a baby swift eat?
As for the amount of insects, it depends on the age and each individual. In general, it is recommended to give between 10 and 15 insects for each feeding, that is, every 2 or 3 hours.
How to feed a swift?
Now that you know what a baby swift and an adult swift eat, how do you feed it? Before the first feeding, the swift must be well hydrated. For this reason, the first thing we have to do is give it water. To do this, we must never introduce its beak into the liquid, since it could enter its respiratory system. The safest technique is to offer the water with a syringe. To do this, we'll leave a drop on the corner of his beak and he'll just pick it up with his tongue. Then, we will repeat the process little by little until the droplet is not collected. It is very important not to forcefully open the beak to introduce the syringe because it is most likely that we will end up breaking the beak unintentionally.
When the baby swift is hydrated, we can start feeding it. So how do you feed a baby swift? Some chicks open their beaks on their own, however it is quite common for them to refuse. In these cases, we will have to do it ourselves. To do this, we will slightly press the corners of the beak until it opens a little. Next, we'll pull the bottom down and from the side. Finally, we will introduce the food in the commissure, or else, directly in the throat, but never from the front.
Since young swifts are very delicate, if we are not careful we can end up damaging their beak. For this reason, it is essential to go to a fauna recovery center or a center specialized in swifts, such as SOS Vencejos, where they will explain in detail how to feed a young swift correctly.
How to release a swift?
When to release a swift? When the young swift is ready to fly, we will see that its wings cross over its back and exceed its tail by more than 2 centimeters. In addition, we will notice that he finds it difficult to eat more and more and has a very active behavior He will try to escape as soon as he has an opportunity and will move on the table with his wings. If we observe this behavior, the youngster may already be ready.
To release a swift, we must choose a warm day and release it first thing in the morning The place must be open, that is, without trees or obstacles. Preferably, it should be a site with the ground covered with short grass or sand. That way you won't hurt yourself if you fall.
Once we have chosen the place, just place it on the open hand, at eye level. If he is ready, he will launch himself from the hand and we will see him for the last time. If this does not happen, the bird is telling us that it is not yet time, so we must never force it or launch it upwards. It is also not advisable to throw it from a height higher than that of a person, since it could hurt itself if it falls to the ground.
Finally, it may happen that the swift darts and falls. In this case, we will make another 2 attempts and, if it falls again, we will take it home until several days have passed. If it falls again on the next attempt, the bird may have a wing injury When this happens, it is very important that we get it to the nearest recovery center where they can help you.
