Swifts' Nests

Did you know that of the 5 species of swift that nest in Portugal, not all use the same reproductive strategy?

The Alpine Swift (𝘛𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘺𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘣𝘢), the Common Swift (𝘈𝘱𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘱𝘶𝘴), the Pallid Swift (𝘈𝘱𝘶𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘥𝘶𝘴), and the Plain Swift (𝘈𝘱𝘶𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘳) use small cracks in natural cliffs or man-made structures like buildings, walls, bridges, and viaducts. On the other hand, the White-rumped Swift (𝘈𝘱𝘶𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳) uses nests of the Red-rumped Swallow (𝘊𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘢𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢).

Swifts build small nests using twigs and feathers they catch in flight, which they glue together using their saliva to form a small cup. These nests are generally simpler and less structured than those of other birds and are usually only used to hold eggs. These birds are social and tend to form nesting colonies, sometimes with hundreds of nests.

If you know of any of these colonies, please register them on our website and help us learn more about the nesting sites of these birds!