Grey-rumped Swift

Chaetura cinereiventris

Least ConcernUncommonInvertebratesForestCup nestTiny · 14 g

About the Grey-rumped Swift

The grey-rumped swift or gray-rumped swift is a species of bird in subfamily Apodinae of the swift family Apodidae. It is found in Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama; in every mainland South American country except Chile, French Guiana, Suriname, and Uruguay; in Trinidad and Tobago; and on Grenada.

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

ID tip

The grey-rumped swift is about 10.5 cm (4.1 in) long and weighs about 17 g (0.60 oz). It has a protruding head, a short square tail, and wings that bulge in the middle and somewhat hook at the end. The sexes are alike. Adults of the nominate subspecies have mostly glossy black upperparts with a wide gray rump and uppertail coverts. Their underparts are a lighter gray than the rump, though darker on the undertail coverts. Juveniles are essentially the same as adults with the addition of pale fringes to many of the wing feathers. Subspecies C. c. Voice: The principal vocalizations of the grey-rumped swift's nominate subspecies are "a bright repeated short 'tsip'" and a "series of 3–4 slightly downslurred burry drawn-out notes 'trrreeew-trrreeew-trrreeew'." The other subspecies' vocalizations vary but are similar to them.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

What the Grey-rumped Swift sounds like

Recording: Niels Krabbe · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto
Recording: Niels Krabbe · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto

Where it lives

Regular range

When to see it

Peak activity in October · a resident species across most of its range

Easily confused with

Learn the Grey-rumped Swift for real

BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.

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