Common Swifts are extremely difficult patients. Only slight mistakes in treatment may have fatal consequences. Inform yourself thoroughly before doing anything on your own or trying to feed the bird. For advice by telephone you can call the Common Swift Rescue Clinic of the DGfM: 069-35351504. If there’s a possibility to drop off the foundling either at our Common Swift Rescue Clinic or one of our competent foster homes than this should be your first choice to save the foundling – that is always to be preferred to trying on one’s own! If this possibility does not exist, the following pages give you detailed instructions on how to handle a Common Swift.
Initial measures which will help you to act adequately immediately after the discovery of a Common Swift:
- Apply some drops of water round its beak with your finger. Do not try to feed the bird or make it drink if it is shocked. Young birds should snap at your finger (see also "Feeding").
- Shock, injuries or wounds? See a veterinarian immediately who is knowledgeable about birds. Instant shock treatment has first priority, every hour counts! Do not throw a Common Swift found on the ground into the air. Do not set it free, before it has been examined carefully.
For transport: use a lined cardboard box. No bird-cage! - Weigh the bird to verify its general condition. Rough rule of thumb: a feathered Common Swift weighing less than 30g: extremely critical! Instant treatment by a vet is necessary (infusions with build-up preparations).
- Carry the bird in a plastic or cardboard box lined with Kleenex or a soft towel, never in a bird-cage. Keep injured, undercooled or emaciated birds warm. (for instance use a thermo-lamp, 32°C - 35°C; no UV light). Provide for dim light and quiet.
- Procure food! First choice: house crickets or field crickets (subadult, without wings) available in most pet-shops. If not available, bridge the gap with the following substitute food:
- a) Employ family and friends. Let them catch insects (for instance flies, mosquitos, grasshoppers – no earthworms!) and spiders.
- b) Try to get beige-brown to dark (almost mature) drones (= male bees) from local bee-keepers (sometimes your local fire-fighters know where to find bee-keepers). They are not only suitable as substitute food and build-up nourishment, but also as digestible supplementary food along with the crickets.
- In the beginning, feed small portions only and make sure that the
bird swallows properly and has bowel movement. Make sure that the bird does not swallow up. The entrance to the wind-pipe is right behind the tongue. - Feed with clean, blunt tweezers. Putting one`s finger into the beak without thorough cleaning and disinfecting of the hands could cause infections by carrying germs into the throat.
Vital for Common Swifts:
Proper food (insects and spiders) as quickly as possible! No experiments with food for humans! No minced meat! No cat-food, no dog-food!