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
Joseph Birds appearances for Stockport before moving to Third Division North outfit Nelson in the summer of 1922. Birds made his debut for Nelson on 26 August 1922 in the 2–6 defeat away to Bradford Park Avenue. The team conceded only 10 goals at home in the league all season as they achieved promotion to the Second Division in 1922–23. In a higher league, Birds found first team opportunities limited, playing four times at the start of the 1923–24 campaign before being replaced by former Portsmouth goalkeeper Harry Abbott. Birds left Nelson in the summer of 1924 and subsequently retired from professional