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Andean Swift

Aeronautes andecolus

Least Concern · IUCN Red List

LCLeast ConcernInvertebratesShrublandCavity nestSmall · 18 g
Andean Swift (Aeronautes andecolus), photo 1
Photo: Ron Knight from Seaford, East Sussex, United Kingdom · CC BY 2.0
Andean Swift (Aeronautes andecolus), photo 2
Photo: Ron Knight from Seaford, East Sussex, United Kingdom · CC BY 2.0
Andean Swift (Aeronautes andecolus), photo 3
Photo: Valentín Alfano · CC BY 4.0
Andean Swift (Aeronautes andecolus), photo 4
Photo: Pablo H Capovilla · CC BY 4.0
Andean Swift (Aeronautes andecolus), photo 5
Photo: Nicolas Olejnik · CC BY 4.0
Andean Swift (Aeronautes andecolus), photo 6
Photo: Nicolas Olejnik · CC BY 4.0
Andean Swift (Aeronautes andecolus), photo 7
Photo: Johannes S. · CC BY 4.0
Andean Swift (Aeronautes andecolus), photo 8
Photo: Ron Knight from Seaford, East Sussex, United Kingdom · CC BY 2.0

ID tip

The Andean swift is about 14 cm (5.5 in) long. It has sharply pointed wings and a long deeply forked tail. The sexes are alike. Adults of the nominate subspecies have mostly black upperparts with a white collar and band on the rump. Their face and underparts are mostly white to off-white with mottled buff on the flanks and vent. Subspecies A. a. parvulus is smaller than the nominate and the borders between black and white areas are very sharply defined. A. a. peruvianus is also smaller than the nominate. Voice: The Andean swift's most common vocalization is "a buzzy, grating 'tzee-tz-tz-trrr...tzee-tz-tz-tzee...'." It also makes "a series of single notes 'tzree..tzree..tzree...'."

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Andean Swift

One bar for each month, and every month is filled: this bird is recorded here in all twelve. The wide bar is October, the month with the most records.

Where to see the Andean Swift

Regular range

The map shades 4 countries with regular records. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

Peru Argentina Chile Bolivia

About the Andean Swift

The Andean swift is a species of bird in subfamily Apodinae of the swift family Apodidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

White-tipped Swift (Aeronautes montivagus) White-tipped SwiftAeronautes montivagusThe white-tipped swift is 12 to 13 cm (4.7 to 5.1 in) long and weighs 17 to 33 g (0.60 to 1.2 oz). White-throated Swift (Aeronautes saxatalis) White-throated SwiftAeronautes saxatalisThe white-throated swift is medium-sized bird that is primarily black and white.

Side by side: Andean Swift vs White-throated Swift · Andean Swift vs White-tipped Swift

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