# is it true what they say about egyptian swifts?



## scuba0095 (May 23, 2006)

that they band together and chase hawks? and that is what they are bred for? A pigeon breeder just told me had some recently and that is what they do...


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## george simon (Feb 28, 2006)

*HI SCUBA0095, Well it sounds like someone is trying to sell you some SWIFTS. Think about this if it were true that swifts chased hawks don't you think that those that fly their birds would have them. THINK .GEORGE *


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## jbangelfish (Mar 22, 2008)

*Pigeons don't chase anything*



scuba0095 said:


> that they band together and chase hawks? and that is what they are bred for? A pigeon breeder just told me had some recently and that is what they do...


What would they do if they caught them?

Swifts are flying breeds from Egypt and Syria. The Egyptians have long loose feathers and huge wings. Their weight is average for a pigeon (Syrians are somewhat larger) but they look quite large and long. 

Some of the feral pigeons from that part of the world are also long in body and wing. It makes me wonder if it isn't yet another remarkable adaptation to a given climate in that this may ease a very long flight to food or water. There are several breeds from the middle east that have this length to body and wing. Being named Swift may also indicate a fast flier which might come in handy with desert winds and many falcons.

Bill


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## mohsenaboela (Mar 29, 2013)

in egypt we used fly the swifts to meet etch other in the air and when a hawk com not good big bird but steal not good and the same here in the usa


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## hamza syed (Jun 22, 2012)

its actually the "swifts"
View attachment 27202
not the pigeon breed.. that's what i know


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## sport14692 (Jan 3, 2011)

Swifts vs Hawks...... I'll take the Hawks


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## mohsenaboela (Mar 29, 2013)

i never sea swift get caught but the hawk heart some birds bad


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## HeavyDlofts (May 23, 2012)

Swifts do have it going on for real yea


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## diwaj (Aug 7, 2008)

I remember, I read somewhere that they use the egyptian swift to trap hawks,

The swifts are trained to enter a box with bigger opening and enter inside a smaller box with smaller opening, The hawks which chase will follow the swift to the first box, but cant enter the second smaller box nor can get out.


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## mohsenaboela (Mar 29, 2013)

ok i well give you this when a hawk com near the swifts in air they fly up up and the hawk zoom on the one drupe down and that is from my 40 yr with swifts


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## Pijlover (May 5, 2010)

Okay i am a bit confused here from these posts. are 'egyptian swifts' some sort of pigeons and they chase hawks?


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## mohsenaboela (Mar 29, 2013)

Pijlover said:


> Okay i am a bit confused here from these posts. are 'egyptian swifts' some sort of pigeons and they chase hawks?


you could be as confused as u want but swifts do not chase hawks they fly way fast from hawks just like any birds i have sea swifts cut open by hawk


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## spence (Dec 15, 2011)

I am a little late on input for this thread but felt like chiming in. I raise some swifts and love to watch them fly although I live in a forested area so they do not do much flying. I am speculating on the claim that somebody made about swifts chasing hawks....when you think about it from a pigeons perspective there is no place safer to be, when a hawk is in the area, than behind the hawk and maybe that person who made that statement had pigeons lucky enough to get behind the hawk and follow it. The hawk would know that is a lost cause trying to circle back and get behind them. I think pigeons know that they are at an advantage if they are above a hawk and I see mine that know how to fly above the trees do go quite high when a hawk is diving through the yard. So I am sure pigeons could also realize they are safer behind a hawk and that gave the appearance of them chasing a hawk. Hawks, particularly coopers hawks, do catch my swift quite regularly, in the forested area the pigeons simply do not have time to react properly to evade a coopers hawk attack. If they were out in the open they might fare better. I think Swifts are incredibly manueverable. Mine circle through the yard and trees when a hawk attacks. During hawk migration or if one is around permanently I don't let them fly free until I think the problem is gone. I do like to let them enjoy some freedom from the pen and that does come at a cost.


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## pigeonraiser (Mar 23, 2001)

I read an article a few years back of a fancier in california that had three lofts of flyers and had alot of hawk problems.He had one breed he said was hawk proof and they were black swifts.He thought the reason was the hawks thought they were crows and they never bothered them.Who knows.


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