[emma11091]

My friend is working over in spain and sent me this pic. Her apt is in an urban area.
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...63838075_n.jpg

This bird is lying on the ground in the alleyway at the back of her apartment. Kind of looks like a juvenile swift?

She is wondering what to do as there is no trees near by or any nest that she can see. Usually I would say don't move it but I've heard swifts can't take off when they are grounded? Need help on identification and what to do. She was going to take it for the night and bring it into the vet in the morning but the bird panics and kind of flutters away - doesn't look too injured, but won't fly up and away. Read online that it may not be able for full flight if it is a juvenile swift. She is afraid of hurting it and doesn't want to do the wrong thing.

Thanks for advice in advance!

[birdboybowley]

Hey Emma, welcome to BF. Your friend is right that it is a Swift.
You're also right that it won't be able to take off on its own. If it looks well, then best thing to do is to hold it aloft in the hands and let it fly of its own accord. It won't be able to take off from a horizontal perch either...they normally roost clinging to walls so they can literally drop off and fly away

[emma11091]

I suggested that to her but she's having trouble actually catching it for any amount of time. Seems healthy enough in that manner. She managed to catch it long enough to put it on a ledge and apparently it crawled into some bushes and is now not moving. She is planning on seeing how it is in the morning (1 am there now) and taking it to the vet if she can..