A swift research report

["Penny Brockman" <>]

One might say that if they never used their feet evolution would have led to their toenails becoming so weak that they were unable to penetrate Mike’s fingers. 

--------------------

Penny Brockman

On Sat, 22 Jun 2019, at 6:24 PM, Michael Tarburton wrote:

G’day

Non-scientific papers often get the facts mixed up or contorted.  This one does have some interesting summaries of recent research, but has two glaring errors.

Saying Swifts almost don’t need their feet is not true.  As nestlings they need them to hang onto their nest, and as adults they need them to hang onto their roost site, when they do land.  Having held many Common Swifts, and 12 White-throated Needletails and had their toenails reach into the bones of my fingers, tells me their feet are not useless even though they might be small.  The smaller Swiftlets roost in their caves every night and need their feet to hang onto the cave roof all night.

Saying "they don’t even land when building their nests” as also not true.  I have worked on Common Swifts at their nests and watched Alpine Swifts landing in Zurich - they all have to land to build their nests, to incubate their eggs (which take longer to hatch than most birds their size) and feed their nestlings.

Have fun with the facts

Mike

> On 22 Jun 2019, at 8:02 AM, Laurie Knight <> wrote:

> 

> Not sure if everything is correct but an interesting read about life on the wing

> 

> https://thenewdaily.com.au/life/2019/06/16/swifts-birds-flight-pattern/

<HR>

<BR> Birding-Aus mailing list

<BR>

<BR> To change settings or unsubscribe visit:

<BR> http://birding-aus.org/mailman/listinfo/birding-aus_birding-aus.org

</HR>

<HR>
<BR> Birding-Aus mailing list
<BR> 
<BR> To change settings or unsubscribe visit:
<BR> http://birding-aus.org/mailman/listinfo/birding-aus_birding-aus.org
</HR>