The great Apus
A traditional herald of summer in folklore, Common Swift’s screams and speedy, sickle-shaped manoeuvres around our suburbs and landmarks mean that its presence escapes the attention of few, and most birders appreciate the poetic augury and backstory of this otherwise common, though declining, highly aerial bird. Now we have two new books, each excellent and distinctive in their own way – and each exploring the species’ history of myth, research and observation, and decline and conservation.
Sarah Gibson’s volume is the most factual and objective, and concentrates on conservation efforts across the species’ range. However, first we are led through expositions on the fragility of swifts, their evolution and close relationship to hummingbirds, an overview of the genera in the family Apodidae, ancient beliefs about their lifestyles and…
