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How does a swallow fly 11,000 kilometers without falling from fatigue?

Every autumn, when it gets cold, a swallow sets off on the longest journey of its life. It flies from Ukraine all the way to South Africa — that’s 11,000 kilometers! Imagine: if you walked non-stop, it would take you two years. And a swallow covers this distance in a few weeks.

Their wings beat the air 20 times per second. The speed is up to 60 kilometers per hour, like a car in the city. A swallow can fly 200 kilometers without a single stop - the same distance as from Kyiv to Cherkasy.

Do you know how it eats on the go? It doesn't land on the ground! It catches insects right in the air, opening its little mouth like a net. It also drinks water on the fly - it goes down to the river and scoops up droplets with its beak.

The most amazing thing: the swallow returns to the same nest where it was born. To the same barn, to the same village, under the same roof! Scientists attached tiny sensors to them and saw: 9 out of 10 swallows fly to their native home. How does it find its way across seas, deserts and mountains? It orients itself by the sun, stars and even the Earth's magnetic field - it seems to have a built-in compass in its head.

When you see the first swallow near your window in spring, remember: it has just returned from Africa. Especially to you. To your yard. Because this is its home.