Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's – oh, wait, it is a bird...
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That's right, racing straight back into Bird of the Year contention at a RAPID 69mph (cough – fastest bird in level flight – cough) is reigning champion, THE SWIFT! For this year's talent themed competition, a fab flock of Swifts will swoop to the stage to showcase their incredible synchronised 'twilight ascent' flying feat.
This amazing display sees the birds race up to 2.5km vertically into the air at twilight before slowly descending to lower altitudes for the night. It's thought twilight ascents could help Swifts to orientate using the stars, landmarks and light cues but no one’s really sure. Either way, it sounds exhausting – what’s wrong with a sat-nav?!
We (barely) caught up with the screaming 'Devil Birds' to ask if they had a message for their fans ahead of the final. They said:
AHHHH-AT THE ROUNDABOUT, TAKE THE SECOND EXIT-AHHHHHH!"
... Wise words, we're sure you'll agree.
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With speeds of up to 69mph, Swifts are the world’s fastest birds in level flight (flying horizontally).
Swifts can fly up to 2 million miles in their lifetime.
Swift chicks do ‘press-ups’ to strengthen their wings before fledging.
The Swift's journey to Bird of the Year 2026 has been anything but smooth. Since last year's competition, not only have these birds completed a round trip of at least 14,000 miles to Africa and back, but many will have returned to find their forever homes have vanished.
Between 1995 and 2024, UK Swift numbers plummeted by 70%. For every 10 Swifts in our skies in the 90s, now we only have three. From Swift bricks and Swift Mapper to community engagement and campaigns, we're working on multiple fronts to help the Swift come zooming back. Now, it's time for you to show your support...
Voting opens on 30 October and closes on 22 November! In the meantime, check out the contenders Swift is up against.
