Scientists tracking the common swift have uncovered one of the most astonishing feats in the animal kingdom: this bird can stay airborne for up to ten months without touching the ground the longest continuous flight ever recorded in any bird species.
During this incredible stretch, the swift does nearly everything while in the air. It hunts tiny airborne insects, drinks droplets from lakes and rivers as it skims past, and can even mate mid-flight.
And perhaps most remarkable of all it sleeps while flying.
By soaring to high altitudes and then gliding downward, the swift can shut down parts of its brain through a process called unihemispheric sleep, allowing it to rest while still navigating the sky.
The only place that truly challenges this bird is the ground. With its very short, weak legs, the swift struggles to take off from flat surfaces and avoids landing except during nesting season. Evolution has shaped its body for one purpose above all: life in the air.
This extraordinary species is the common swift rightfully known as one of nature’s true Masters of the Skies.
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