When winter ends, many African birds migrate to the northern hemisphere, where they herald the arrival of spring. Among them are a series of small birds, with black and white bodies They are easy to observe as they fly over our heads, emitting a series of very characteristic beeps. These are the swallows, swifts, and martins
All these birds have a similar behavior, since they have adapted to the same type of food. However, they can be easily distinguished based on their appearance, their flight and their nesting. Do you want to learn to differentiate them? In this article on our site we tell you what the difference is between swallow, swift and plane In addition, we will see why these birds are so similar.
Swallows, Swifts and Planes
Swallows and swifts are migratory birds specialized in catching insects on the fly For this reason, both groups of birds have very long wings, short legs, a wide mouth and a small beak. During the flight, their body shape can be similar, as well as their behavior. However, as we will now see, the difference between a swallow and a swift is quite clear. In fact, they're not even related.
Swallows belong to the order Passeriformes, that is, they are closer to sparrows than to swifts. We are talking about the Hirundinidae family, within which we can find two types of swallows: the airplanes and the swallows themselves. There are a large number of species in both groups, so we are going to focus on the most frequent: the Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) and the House Martin (Delichon urbicum).
As for the swifts, they are part of the order Apodiformes, which means “without legs”. This is a group of birds with extreme adaptations to flight So much so that every year they spend 10 months without perching, putting half of their brain to sleep as they fly. Within this order, swifts form the family Apodidae and are more closely related to hummingbirds than to swallows. The most frequent species is the common swift (Apus apus) and it is the one we are going to talk about.
How to tell the difference between swifts, swallows and house martins?
At short distances, the difference between a swallow and a swift is quite visible. The common swift has a uniform brown-black coloration, except for the throat, which is white. Its tail is short and forked and its legs are feathered. These end in 4 claws, which are directed forward, so they cannot perch on the ground, nor on cables or ropes. For this reason, as we mentioned in the article on Breeding the swift, it is the only bird whose chicks must be picked up when they fall from the nest.
As for swallows and martins, their backs, heads and tails are black, while their belly is whiteIts legs are slightly longer and are not covered with feathers. In addition, although they also have 4 claws, 3 of them are directed forward and 1 backwards. This allows them to perch on the ground and on cables, where it is very common to see them forming large groups.
Otherwise, swallows and airplanes are quite different. The Barn Swallow has blue highlights on its back, while its forehead and throat are orange. The common house martin, on the other hand, has a white throat, has a more rounded appearance and does not have blue reflections. In addition, the swallow's tail is extremely forked and its two ends are greatly elongated, forming a V.
Swallows, Martins and Swifts in Flight
Noticing the difference between a swallow and a swift in flight is a bit more complex. Swifts fly faster, higher, and more linearly than swallows, while emitting a short, monotonous screech. In addition, they can be differentiated by their crossbow shape, their thin wings being the bow. Its tail is slightly forked, more closed than that of airplanes and shorter than that of swallows.
Swallows, on the other hand, differ from swifts by having a slower and lower flight, during which they perform great number of maneuvers and stunts. Its song is more musical and is made up of a series of chirps and trills. Regarding their appearance in flight, they differ from the swift thanks to their white belly. However, sometimes the white is not noticeable, so we must pay attention to its tail.
The tail of the martins is also forked, but more open than that of the swifts. In addition, airplanes have a more "chubby" appearance than swallows, while swallows have a more streamlined appearance. As for the swallow's tail, it is very characteristic. As we have already mentioned, its ends are very long and form a “V”.
If you have found a baby swallow, martin or swift, we encourage you to read this other article on Caring for a bird that has fallen from the nest.
Nests of swallows and swifts
Nesting is another important difference between swallow and swift. Species of the family Hirundinidae build their nest adhered to walls and roofs, although it is different for house martins and swallows. Swifts, however, nest inside holes in buildings, usually in old buildings. To fully appreciate the difference, let's take a closer look.
Swallow's Nest
When spring comes, pairs of martins and swallows get together and start building their nest. To do this, they collect mud and form small balls. Little by little, they adhere these balls of clay to a wall or roof, building a fascinating piece of architecture. The nest of barn swallows is cup-shaped and is located below deck.
Plane's Nest
The plane's nest, however, is a closed hemisphere with a small entrance at the top Both species tend to reuse nests from previous years and often join other pairs in colonies. Airplane colonies tend to be larger and more compact, resembling our townhouses.
Swift's Nest
Swift nests are also usually located in human constructions, although inside the holes present in them. Some pairs, however, prefer to nest on slopes, cliffs and even tree holes.
Swifts' nest building also begins in spring. The couple, very faithful to monogamy, spend a lot of time collecting plant matter. With it, with feathers and with saliva, build a kind of cup at the bottom of the chosen hole. There, the pair will lay their eggs and return each spring to rebuild the nest.
