One of the most famous folk signs is the low flight of swallows before the rain. And to this day, many, looking at the sky, remember her when light-winged, nimble birds fly by. And few people know that in fact most of those birds that we take for swallows belong to a completely different species. Namely, to swifts.
Resemblance: swallows and swifts
Both of these birds are very common throughout the country. Their similarity is very great, especially for those who do not understand ornithology. Both swallows and swifts have dark plumage and a long tail. They also know how to gain a very high flight speed, plan above the ground itself, collecting midges. And the similarities don't end there. They are related both by the color of the plumage and the approximate size. But there are also significant differences.
Differences and similarities: swallows and swifts
Now let's try to understand this matter in detail. Let's find out how the birds differ, as well as what are their similarities. Swallows and swifts belong to different orders. The former are passerines, while the latter are long-winged birds.
How to tell a swallow from a swift?
Pay attentionhow these feathered creatures fly. The differences lie in the ability of these birds to move. Their similarity is that both of them are excellent air pilots. But if the average flight speed of a swallow reaches 50-60 kilometers per hour, then catching up with a swift is an impossible task for other birds. These are real flight leaders. They can reach speeds of up to 120 kilometers per hour, but at the same time they lose to swallows in maneuverability, since most often they fly exclusively in a straight line.
The differences between these birds lie in their appearance. The paws of the swallow have a standard structure for passerines - three fingers look forward, and one looks back. In swifts, all four are directed straight. This prevents them from sitting, for example, on wires, but it helps to cling to any ledge. This feature is very useful, because often swifts settle in burrows on the cliffs of rivers, ponds or other bodies of water. Although, of course, it is not easy for an ordinary person to notice this particular detail.
And in color, the similarity of birds is far from complete. Their belly color is different. In swallows, it is completely white. But swifts are content with a small snow-white spot on their chest.
Wings during the flight tend to fold only swallows. In addition, their size in swifts is much larger, and they differ in shape. If you notice a bird with very elongated sickle-shaped wings, then this is definitely not a swallow. But the swift's tail is shorter and wider.
Another clear sign by which these birds can be distinguished by anyone is their loudness. Usually loudonly swifts differ in voice and constant screams in flight.
The last difference is the territorial preference. The swallow is a frequent visitor to any village, while the swifts are mostly city dwellers.
Conclusion
Of course, when you look at these birds from the ground and see them only as small dots in the sky, it is simply impossible to detect these differences. But if you put a photo of a swallow and a swift next to it, then all the details of their appearance will be obvious. So now you will never confuse these two beautiful birds. After all, you know what difference and similarity there are between them. Swallows and swifts are similar, but there are many differences between them.
