Common Swift song and calls

Birdsong and calls are often the easiest way to identify the Common Swift, especially when the bird is hidden in dense foliage. Below is what to listen for.

Song

Does not have a complex song. Its vocalizations are primarily calls.

Calls

A distinctive, high-pitched, piercing 'screaming' or 'sree-sree-sree' call, often given in rapid bursts, especially when flying in groups around nesting sites. The calls are often described as 'screaming parties' or 'devil's choruses'.

When they vocalize

Most vocal during the breeding season, particularly in the mornings and evenings when groups are flying around their nesting colonies. Less vocal during migration and in wintering grounds.

Explore the Common Swift