Common swift that resemble a crescent or a boomerang. Their call is a loud scream in two different tone pitches, the higher of which issues from the female. They often form 'screaming parties' during summer evenings, when 10–20 swifts will gather in flight around their nesting area, calling out and being answered by nesting swifts. Larger "screaming parties" are formed at higher altitudes, especially late in the breeding season. The purpose of these parties is uncertain, but may include ascending to sleep on the wing, while still breeding adults tend to spend the night in the nest. Swifts may nest in former
The Conference of the Birds x 11,4 cm. The Conference of the Birds The Conference of the Birds or Speech of the Birds (, "Manṭiq-uṭ-Ṭayr", also known as "Maqāmāt-uṭ-Ṭuyūr"; 1177) is a celebrated literary masterpiece of Persian literature by poet Farid ud-Din Attar, commonly known as Attar of Nishapur. The title, which is in Arabic, is taken directly from the Qur’an, 27:16, where Sulayman (Solomon) and Dāwūd (David) are said to have been taught the language, or speech, of the birds ("manṭiq al-ṭayr"). In the poem, the birds of the world gather to decide who is to be their sovereign, as they have none. The