Swifts released in Mellieħa

People used to believe that swifts didn’t have any feet. Their family Latin name Apus is derived from the Ancient Greek α (a), meaning ’without’ and πούς (pus) meaning ’foot’. Their legs are short and they are used mainly for grabbing on to vertical surfaces like cliffs and walls, since this is where they nest. However, they spend the majority of their lives on the wing, sometimes not landing for ten months and will not land unless it is to nest. These two swifts, a Common Swift and a Pallid Swift, were found on the ground by members of the public and handed over to BirdLife Malta when they were still juveniles. Then they spent almost three weeks under our care, where their diet and weight was monitored constantly. After that they were both fit enough to fly again and continue their long journey towards central Africa. Footage by BirdLife Malta, editing by Weerle van Werde.