…you found a swift on the ground?
In short A swift on the ground is almost always in trouble: it cannot take off from a flat surface even when healthy.
Should you step in?
Yes — unlike most birds. A swift’s feet are built to cling to vertical surfaces, not to push off the ground.
When is help needed?
Whenever the bird is on the ground and does not fly off. Especially if there is blood, a drooping wing, or the bird is wet, cold or found indoors.
What you must never do
Do not toss the bird up to “help it fly”, do not force water into it and do not feed it bread, porridge or meat. Tossing an injured bird adds fractures.
When to contact us
Right away. Put the bird in a ventilated cardboard box, keep it quiet and dark, and call — swifts do badly with delay.
A real rescue
A honey buzzard found concussed on city streets after shelling returned to the wild after a long rehabilitation.
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