Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift
Panyptila cayennensis
The Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift (Panyptila cayennensis) is a uncommon swift found in 18 countries, weighing about 21 g. The lesser swallow-tailed swift or Cayenne swift is a species of bird in subfamily Apodinae of the swift family Apodidae.
About the Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift
The lesser swallow-tailed swift or Cayenne swift is a species of bird in subfamily Apodinae of the swift family Apodidae. It is found from southern Mexico through Central America; in every mainland South America country except Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay; and on Trinidad.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The lesser swallow-tailed swift is a slender species, 12.7–13 cm (5.0–5.1 in) long, and weighing about 18 g (0.63 oz). It has long narrow wings and a long forked tail, which is usually held tightly closed. It is mainly black with a white throat and upper breast and squarish white patches on the rear flanks. The sexes are similar. Voice: The lesser swallow-tailed swift's usual calls are "a reedy or wheezy phrase of fast twittering notes...'pzeee-pzi-titititititi-ti-ti-pzeee!'" and "a repeated drawn-out single 'pzeeeh'". It often flies so high that the calls cannot be heard.
Where it lives
When to see it
The Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift can be seen all year round, with peak activity in October. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift?
- The lesser swallow-tailed swift is a slender species, 12.7–13 cm (5.0–5.1 in) long, and weighing about 18 g (0.63 oz). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift?
- The Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift is a small sized bird weighing about 21 g.
- Where can you see a Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift?
- The Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift occurs in 18 countries, including Belize, Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador and Colombia.
- What birds look similar to a Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift?
- The Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift is most easily confused with the Great Swallow-tailed Swift.
- Is the Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift endangered?
- The Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift for real
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