Beautifull Swifts..... predating on Bees ?

[BrianO]

The swift probably eats more species of animals (small insects and spiders) than any other
British bird. David Lack recorded over 312, and reckoned there were more.

Watching ( most likely ) my bees on bramble not to far from my apiary , nearly sure no other Beeks nearby.

Anyway whilst watching them also watching swifts with their absolutely stunning ( high speed flight at inches off the ground and changing direction in split seconds, passing at times inches away from us ) flight patterns whilst hunting.... and wondering were they dining on my prized ( hopefully ) nectar laden bees returning to their hives.

Looked them up on line on RSPB website, found this fascinating , sure you will too !

They usually
take items 2-10mm long.
• They probably hunt at about 25 miles an hour
• They drink by gliding over smooth water and taking sips
• Swifts can be quite selective about what they catch. One was found to have caught only
stingless drones around bee hives, and to have neatly dodged all the females, which had
stings
• Swifts can’t feed in wet weather in the UK, so fly around storms to find dry areas – the only
UK birds to do this.
• On the wintering grounds in Africa it’s different – there are more insects in the air on rainy
days, so the swifts will head for rain.

 

[kazmcc]

I didn't know also that they can't take off from the ground, which is why you never see them in groups on the ground. We found one recently, and rang the RSPCA. A woman came round and took it into the garden, after a good health check, then threw it up in the air and off it went. Birds are very clever, doesn't surprise me at all that they have learned to avoid stings. Imagine the eye sight you would need to do that though? Brilliant!

 

[Stiffy]

They also don't touch ground after leaving the nest until the following year. Sleep on the wing, skirt around storms which entail a bird in south of UK travelling north of Scotland and returning to their nest. Don't 'scream' when they leave the UK. My favorite bird and been trying to attract them to nest in boxes on my home for years.... unsuccessfuly :-(
S

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[Millet]

I doubt very much a swift or any other bird will take bee's with the odd exception to the migratory Bee eater..

 

[mintmoth]

Predating.... hmm, thought that meant "coming before", as in William I predating Richard I

But I guess you've conjugated predation. It's true then. There is no noun that can't be verbed....

(I'll get me coat...)

 

[Erichalfbee]

My absolutely favourite bird.
I think all new houses should have swift holes built into the walls.
They are welcome to some of my bees
Kaz, a healthy adult Swift CAN take to the air from the ground. Unfortunately grounded Swifts are often injured/compromised in some way which is why people think they can't fly from the ground and why you have to give them a really good look over before launching them into the air. I used to work a lot with Swifts and they always got a hot water bottle and a sugar feed via stomach tube before being let loose again.

• Swifts can be quite selective about what they catch. One was found to have caught only
stingless drones around bee hives, and to have neatly dodged all the females, which had
stings ...................made me laugh. Author has obviously never heard of drone congregations

 

[kazmcc]

My absolutely favourite bird.
I think all new houses should have swift holes built into the walls.
They are welcome to some of my bees
Kaz, a healthy adult Swift CAN take to the air from the ground. Unfortunately grounded Swifts are often injured/compromised in some way which is why people think they can't fly from the ground and why you have to give them a really good look over before launching them into the air. I used to work a lot with Swifts and they always got a hot water bottle and a sugar feed via stomach tube before being let loose again.

• Swifts can be quite selective about what they catch. One was found to have caught only
stingless drones around bee hives, and to have neatly dodged all the females, which had
stings ...................made me laugh. Author has obviously never heard of drone congregations

Thanks EricA. I'm only repeating what the RSPCA officer told me, but she didn't go into detail. I had had it in a box all day, she just checked it's wings and threw it up into the air! I was quite surprised. That's when she told me they can't take off, then off she went. Imagine how horrified I would have been if it just dropped back down like a stone lol, from an RSPCA officer! I would love to work with them, you are so lucky

 

[tiny tim]

had them close to my hives regularly ,pretty sure they are taking the bees

 

[yeogi75]

sparrows also eat bees, I have regular visitors to my hive at home they sit on a plant pot and Wait for the slowest to land on the landing board or catch the ones that fall short and fall to the ground. Also have swifts swallows and house martins around , but only noticed swallows this year

 

[Finman]

I saw yesterday couple of hundred swift catching food under 10 meter high and many was near surface of the field. No need to be afraif for bees, because weather was so bad that no bees were out.

So, one out of billion swifts has been met to catch drones. Bad job, because drones' flying time is short during day and in bad days drones are not out at all.

I have not seen any sign that swift catch bees or drones. I have 30 swifts in my bird houses and they do not hunt over apiary.

I can hear the drone swarm singing in front of my cottage but no swifts are flying among drones
.

 

[Finman]

.
You get swifts to your home trees when make a bird cottage, which is

50 mm hole
40 cm distance between hole and bottom
10x10 cm the bottom floor. If bottom is bigger, eggs easily roll over edge of they nest cup.

Do not use plywood.

 

[Stiffy]

.

You get swifts to your home trees when make a bird cottage, which is



50 mm hole

40 cm distance between hole and bottom

10x10 cm the bottom floor. If bottom is bigger, eggs easily roll over edge of they nest cup.



Do not use plywood.

never heard of swifts using trees or boxes?


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[BeeJayBee]

never heard of swifts using trees or boxes?

More common than you think, here's an example http://www.livingwithbirds.com/nest-boxes-by-species/swift/

 

[Finman]

More common than you think, here's an example http://www.livingwithbirds.com/nest-boxes-by-species/swift/

My swifts do not make nest into those things. It took me 10 years to learn what bird boxes swifts accept. None of those. They may sleep in many boxes but do not make eggs.

Huge business that...

 

[Stiffy]

More common than you think, here's an example http://www.livingwithbirds.com/nest-boxes-by-species/swift/

Quite right , I was thinking of boxes with holes attached to trees as described by Finman.
S


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[Erichalfbee]

My swifts do not make nest into those things. It took me 10 years to learn what bird boxes swifts accept. None of those. They may sleep in many boxes but do not make eggs.

Huge business that...

Do "your" swifts use boxes mounted on trees?

 

[Finman]

Do "your" swifts use boxes mounted on trees?

Yes, they are at the hight of ladders, about 5-6 meter.
In nature birds makes their hives into woodpeckers' hole.

Swifts worst enemies are squirrels and woodpeckers. They eate the chicks. Often 90% of chicks are destroyed.
.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I have one box on the house wall maybe 3 metres up, sparrows using it.
I put it up too late.
I have a Swift Call cd and was hoping I might entice some of the young who didn't mate and who were looking for next year but the sparrows got in.
I'll move it up higher next year.
Maybe I could put one on the disused telegraph pole in our drive and paint it with burglar paint

When I lived in London I had two boxes on the wall, both occupied every year

 

[Egon]

Stiffy,
you can get a cd with swift calls on it to attract them to your nest boxes, you play it in May ( for use the current year) & end of July (I think) to attract juveniles who will hopefully use it the following year.
You can purchase the cd from the Action for Swifts website.

Dave

Dave

 

[Finman]

.
Young couples of swifts choose their nest place in July here and they make eggs next year.

Every year quite exactly 15.8 chicks are capable to fly and all birds disappear from sky then. They make eggs at the ed of May. Last egg makers are about 20.6.
They make their noise 2.5 months. IT is good summer music.