Family: Apodidae
Popular and common variants / subspecies / other names: Chimney swift, white-throated swift, Vaux’s swift, European or common swift (Apus apus)
Geographic distribution: Swifts are found throughout southern Canada, all of the United States, Mexico, Central America, and South America.
Environment: The swift is found in urban areas and forests.
Physical description: The swift has small spines or spikes extending from the end of its tail. The typical swift has large eyes, a wide mouth for catching insects in the air, and short legs with small feet. The standard swift has an aerodynamic cigar-shaped body with a crescent-shaped wingspan. The chimney swift, one of the most common swifts in North America, measures about 5 inches long, with a wingspan of about 11 inches and a weight of just under an ounce. This bird’s plumage is generally dark.
Interesting facts: Once thought to be part of the swallow family, swifts are actually more closely related to hummingbirds. Swifts are among the fastest birds, with recorded speeds ranging between 75 and 100 mph. Swifts can copulate while flying and remain airborne for long periods, not surprising because they cannot perch well with their small, weak feet. Swifts can even sleep while flying. They can, however, cling to vertical surfaces, and can also go torpid in bad weather if food is unavailable.
Myths, folklore, and cultural associations: Swifts are often confused with swallows, and the chimney swift is sometimes erroneously referred to as a chimney swallow. Like swallows, their return from migration is a sign of summer. The name reflects their speed in flight.
One of their epithets is “the Devil’s bird,” possibly due to their rare interaction with humans. Swifts spend most of their time aloft, landing only to build nests and incubate eggs.
(See also Swallow.)
Omens and divinatory meaning: The swift is always moving, always traveling. Seeing one can be an omen of upcoming travel. Alternatively, it can suggest that perhaps you’ve been spending too much time in motion, and that it’s time to rest for a while.
The swift’s association with the chimney also relates it to hearth and home. The chimney is a part of the fireplace, a source of heat, light, comfort, and energy for cooking. The chimney also serves as a visual connection between the home and the realm of the gods, rooted in the spiritual heart of the home and drawing the eye upward to the heavens. The swift’s preference for such a nesting place suggests communication with the deities. If a swift appears to you, it may be reminding you to be more aware of your relationship with the Divine.
Associated energies: Speed, agility, travel, movement, hearth and home
Associated seasons: Spring, summer
Element association: Air
Color associations: Black, grey, brown