Dark Umbrella (Apus apus) is an excellent flyer from the order Apodiformes. The anatomy of the body predestines umbrellas to be the best flyers on this planet. The aerodynamic body, sickle-shaped narrow wings and shifted center of gravity of the body forward allow them to maneuver sharply in housing estates between block of flats. It can fly at an incredible speed of 210 km/h. The umbrella spends most of its life in the air. However, the problem arises if the umbrella hits the barrier and finds itself involuntarily on the ground… Its short and weak legs and the aforementioned shifted center of gravity of the body do not allow it to stand up, bounce and take off from the ground. And that’s why people often find them exhausted on the ground. Just a few hours without food exhausts them so much that they just “crawl” on the ground and sooner or later they would become prey to a predator. Exceptionally, it can happen that very strong individuals can stick off the ground and take off with a powerful wing bounce. But more than 90% of cases end up being dependent on human help. At the same time, it only takes a little and we can help this excellent aviator. If the umbrella does not have a serious injury and moves its wings, try gently throwing it into the superstition, e.g. over the lawn. If everything is fine, you will see how it will fly away. Alternatively, hang it on the index finger of your hand and let it “peek” around and decide to fly away on its own. This is also the case of “our” today’s umbrella tree, which people found at the Municipal Office in Vrútky. If the umbrella is on the ground for a long time, it usually weakens and needs to be cared for for a couple of days. Before the actual release, in such a case, it is necessary to feed him, give him fluids and after getting stronger, we can wish him a happy flight!
This issue was elaborated in more detail by our colleague from Záhorie – Mgr. Rudolf Jureček. Those interested can download it here: https://www.ekoton.sk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Starostlivos%C5%A5-o-d%C3%A1%C5%BE%C4%8Fovn%C3%ADky.pdf
Text and photo by Ing. Juraj Žiak
