Swifts returning from Africa to nest and breed can be seen at this time of year – and heard, with their distinctive “squee, squee” call. Their migrations can clock up to 14000 miles each year.
Swifts can fly at up to 70mph, their forked tails giving them the manoeuvrability required to catch insects in flight. They rarely rest on the ground – they eat, mate and sleep (with half a brain at a time) while flying.
Superficially similar to swallows, swifts are more closely related to hummingbirds.
Numbers of swifts in the UK have halved since the 1990s. Urbanization and modern building practices are principal causes of the decline.