Editing Common swift (section)

{{short description|Species of bird}}
{{for|the moth ''Korscheltellus lupulina''|Common swift moth}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Common swift
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref>{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International. |year=2016 |title=''Apus apus'' |volume=2016 |page=e.T22686800A86111691 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22686800A86111691.en |access-date=28 April 2025}}</ref>
| status2 = NT
| status2_system = IUCN3.1
| status2_ref = <ref>{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International. |year=2021 |title=''Apus apus'' (Europe assessment) |volume=2021 |page=e.T22686800A166220766 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T22686800A166220766.en |access-date=28 April 2025}}</ref> (Europe)
| image = Apus apus -Barcelona, Spain-8 (1).jpg
| image_caption=In [[Barcelona]], Spain
| taxon = Apus apus
| authority = ([[Carl Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], [[10th edition of Systema Naturae|1758]])
| range_map = Apus apus distribution map.png
| range_map_caption = Range of ''A. apus'' {{leftlegend|#FF0000|Breeding range|outline=gray}}{{leftlegend|#140087|Wintering range|outline=gray}}
| synonyms = ''Hirundo apus'' {{small|Linnaeus,&nbsp;1758}}<br />''Cypselus apus''
}}
[[File:Swifts-nest.jpg|thumb|Common Swift chicks ]]
The '''common swift''' ('''''Apus apus''''') is a medium-sized [[bird]], superficially similar to the [[barn swallow]] or [[Common house martin|house martin]] but somewhat larger, though not stemming from those [[passerine]] species, being in the order [[Apodiformes]]. The resemblances between the groups are due to [[convergent evolution]], reflecting similar contextual development. The swifts' nearest relatives are the New World [[hummingbirds]] and the Southeast Asian [[treeswift]]s.

Its scientific name ''Apus'' is [[Latin]] for a swift, thought by the ancients to be a type of [[swallow]] with no feet (from [[Ancient Greek]] α, ''a'', "without", and πούς, ''pous'', "foot").<ref name=job/>

Swifts have very short legs which they use primarily for clinging to vertical surfaces (hence the German name ''Mauersegler'', literally meaning "wall-glider"). They never settle voluntarily on the ground where they would be vulnerable to accidents and predation, and non-breeding individuals may spend up to ten months in continuous flight.<ref name=heden/>