Swifts: bloody ‘ell. The weight of a Creme Egg, Apus Apus spend their entire lives in flight; eating, sleeping and shagging on the wing before popping 6,000 miles north to a European roof for a rest and a spot of breeding.

As evocative of British summers as drunk men fighting, screeching Swifts have returned to our skies and are bloody noisy – unless and until Ol gets his microphone out, of course.

So with World Swift Day coming up (7 June) we get straightforwardly misty-eyed about these avian superstars, and only momentarily distracted by Kanye West.

Special thanks to Gavin Gamble for his wonderful blog that inspired this episode. Big up to Patrick Aberg for swifts sounds scattered throughout. Kudos to Ruth Everett for the splendid swift drawing. And check out the RSPB’s guide to making your own swift box if you’d like to help them not be dead.

Sustainababble is your friendly environment podcast, out weekly. Theme music by the legendary Dicky Moore – @dickymoo. Sustainababble logo by the splendid Arthur Stovell. Ecoguff read out by Arabella.

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