Swifts are declining rapidly across the UK

Swift Apus apus numbers have declined by 47% in the UK in the last ten years. And for the first time, the summer migrant has been added to the amber list meaning it is of serious conservation concern. Swifts spend their life almost entirely on the wing and even feed, sleep and mate in flight. They feed exclusively on insects and only come to land when nesting.

They hunt for insects over a wide area and range of habitats from meadows, open water and over woods to the skies above towns and cities. An abundant supply of insects is critical for their survival. Parent swifts collect lots of insects to take back to their chicks – up to 1,000 at once which make a big bulge in their throat. When they have chicks to feed, swifts can gather as many as 100,000 insects a day.

Source: RSPB
http://www.rspb.org.uk/news/details.asp?id=tcm:9-219495