Swifts (Apus apus) are extraordinary creatures that nature has forged with a single purpose: to fly. These birds live their entire life cycle in flight, landing only in their nests to lay eggs. Their legs are very short and do not allow them to take off from the ground or to walk in search of food.

The Alpine swift (Tachymarptis melba), having completed a migration of over two thousand kilometres from Europe to Africa, spends the next six months continuously in flight, without ever landing, not even for a moment. Swifts hunt insects in flight without slowing down, and are even capable of sleeping while airborne.

Three species of swift can be observed in Italy: the common swift (Apus apus), the pallid swift (Apus pallidus) and the Alpine swift (Tachymarptis melba). These birds do not leave the nest until they are completely self-sufficient; however, it is possible for them to land on the ground by mistake or following an accident.

How to help a swift that has fallen to the ground

In these cases it is necessary to help them in order to save their lives. Lipu has drawn up a brief guide to providing first aid to swifts. First of all, it is necessary to establish whether the bird is a young individual unable to fly or a healthy adult. The adult swift can be distinguished from the juvenile because, when the wings are in the resting position, they cross over the back, extending approximately 2–3 cm beyond the tail.

An uninjured adult common swift can often take to the air again simply through a launching technique. A gentle toss in an open area close to where the bird was found is sufficient (not from balconies or elevated positions). If, after being launched, the bird glides back down to the ground, it will instead need to be taken to a wildlife rescue centre.

A juvenile swift has wings that tend to be short, never exceeding the length of the tail, and at most crossing slightly over the back. In this case, one should not attempt to make the bird fly, as it is still too young to live in the air; instead, the bird must be handed over to a wildlife rescue centre.

While waiting for it to be admitted, it can be placed in a ventilated, darkened cardboard box to calm the bird; small cages are not recommended, as the swift, intolerant of captivity, could injure itself. If admission to a centre is not immediate, the swift can be fed small balls of raw minced beef, waxworms and mealworms. Water can be administered using a dropper, a needleless syringe, or even a fingertip, allowing one drop at a time to fall onto the nostrils.

How to help a swift take flight

You will know that the swift is ready to fly — in addition to its wings being longer than its tail — when it begins to refuse food and to practise flying in the box (opening and flapping its wings insistently). Lipu advises against test launches, as the common swift does not land on its feet but on its chest and could sustain injuries.

Try this test: place the swift on the floor 3–10 metres from a very bright window facing outwards. If it beats its wings and, in attempting to reach the light source, rises 10–30 centimetres off the ground, this means its muscles are ready for flight. If, on the other hand, it tries to hide, ruffles the feathers on its back, or turns with its tail towards the window, you will need to wait a little longer before returning this little lord of the skies to its natural element.