Swift and Sure

What bird lives its life in the air?

The swift is a small bird, only about 5 inches in length, but as its name implies, it is the fastest bird in level flight, with an impressive top speed of 69mph. Swifts spend most of their lives in midair. They eat, drink, and even sleep while flying. It's estimated they fly more than 500 miles each day. Some individuals go 10 months without landing.

Swifts are very social birds; they nest, migrate and hunt in groups. Some species, like Vaux’s and white-throated swifts, spend the night in communal roosts with hundreds of other swifts. Some species live in caves, and use echolocation like bats to find their way in the dark.