Short-tailed Swift

Chaetura brachyura

Least ConcernUncommonInvertebratesUrbanCup nestSmall · 18 g

About the Short-tailed Swift

The short-tailed swift is a bird in the Apodidae, or swift family.

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

ID tip

The short-tailed swift is about 10.5 cm long, and weighs 20 g. It has long narrow wings, a robust body and a short tail. The sexes are similar. It is mainly black with a pale rump and tail. It can be distinguished from related species in its range, such as the band-rumped swift (C. spinicauda) or the gray-rumped swift (C. cinereiventris) by the lack of contrast between the rump and the tail, the latter being much darker in the other species.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

What the Short-tailed 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 January · a resident species across most of its range

Easily confused with

Learn the Short-tailed 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.

Play BeakBrain

Every photo and recording on this page is credited to its author under the licence shown. Spotted a problem with this page, or have a better photo? Contribute.