The White-throated Swift

White-Throated Swifts are aerial birds with long wings and short little legs.
It is this anatomy that gets them into trouble when they are on the ground.
Their claws are powerful and they build their nests with saliva and materials
they pick up in flight. Their populations are down, but they are not listed as
a bird whose numbers are of concern.

These birds catch insects as they fly and only very strong adults can get
airborne from the ground. They are social birds and roost in groups of
hundreds on cliffs, under overpasses and under bridges.

Swifts are also one of the fastest flying birds with a top speed of 69 MPH.
This bird came in because kind people believed it had run into something.
Wildlife rehabilitators who know this bird want to get it back out into the wild
as quickly as possible because they will not eat in captivity, spitting out food
every time it is offered. With this bird,TCWC gave rehydrating fluids and
called for a volunteer to come toss it back into the sky.

This is a giant leap of faith and only done after careful examination reveals
the bird is in good condition, wings are perfect and it is ready to go. A huge
thanks to Peggy and her family who are always willing to hold their breath
and push these beautiful swifts back into flight. When asked how this bird
did, Peggy simply said, " it flew like an Eagle! ".

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