Spot-fronted Swift (Cypseloides cherriei) | Photos and ID

LCLeast ConcernInvertebrates

ForestCup nestSmall · 22 g

Spot-fronted Swift (Cypseloides cherriei), photo 4 — Photo: Roger A. Morales-Flores · CC BY 4.0

Spot-fronted Swift (Cypseloides cherriei), photo 5 — Photo: Roger A. Morales-Flores · CC BY 4.0

Spot-fronted Swift (Cypseloides cherriei), photo 9 — Photo: (c) Anthony Batista, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY

Spot-fronted Swift (Cypseloides cherriei), photo 10 — Photo: (c) Roger A. Morales-Flores, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY

ID tip

The spot-fronted swift is about 14 cm (5.5 in) long and weighs about 23 g (0.81 oz). The sexes are alike. They are almost entirely blackish brown with grayish underwings and a white chin. They get their English name from bright white spots on either side of the bill and behind the eyes. Voice: The spot-fronted swift's flight call has been compared to the sound of laser gun and transliterated as "chirr chi-t-t-ti chirr".

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Spot-fronted Swift

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

Where to see the Spot-fronted Swift

Regular rangeRare visitor

The map shades 4 countries with regular records, and 2 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

Costa Rica Ecuador Colombia Panama

Recorded as a rare visitor in Venezuela, Peru.

About the Spot-fronted Swift

The spot-fronted swift is a species of bird in subfamily Cypseloidinae of the swift family Apodidae. It is found in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela.

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

Easily confused with

White-chinned SwiftCypseloides cryptusThe white-chinned swift is about 15 cm (5.9 in) long and weighs about 35 g (1.2 oz).

Sooty SwiftCypseloides fumigatusThe sooty swift is about 15 cm (5.9 in) long. White-chested SwiftCypseloides lemosiThe white-chested swift is 14 to 15 cm (5.5 to 5.9 in) long and weighs about 28 g (0.99 oz).

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