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Birds and Butterflies of Rhodes
RODOPTERA
Apus apus
Common swift. Greek: σταχτάρα. Gadouras river-mouth lagoon, July 2022.
Passage migrant, common in large numbers in some areas. April to September. Length 16-17 cm, wingspan 38-40 cm. Sexes similar. Dark brown with small pale patch on chin, short forked tail, long crescent-shaped wings. Diverse habitats, often far from nesting sites, coastal lagoons in early morning and late afternoon; large colony in Rhodes town. Nests in colonies in cliff crevices, buildings. Fast flight with twists and turns. Can go several months without landing, no other bird species spends so much of its life on the wing. Feeds on insects caught in flight. Drinks on the wing by stooping low to skim briefly water surface. Can mate, sleep in flight. Shrill screaming call.
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