White-chinned Swift (Cypseloides cryptus) | Photos and ID

LCLeast ConcernInvertebrates

ForestCup nestSmall · 35 g

White-chinned Swift (Cypseloides cryptus), photo 3 — Photo: (c) Juan C. Espinosa, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Juan C. Espinosa · cc-by

White-chinned Swift (Cypseloides cryptus), photo 4 — Photo: Anthony Batista · CC BY 4.0

White-chinned Swift (Cypseloides cryptus), photo 5 — Photo: Anthony Batista · CC BY 4.0

White-chinned Swift (Cypseloides cryptus), photo 6 — Photo: Paulo Mascaretti · CC0

White-chinned Swift (Cypseloides cryptus), photo 7 — Photo: Roger A. Morales-Flores · CC BY 4.0

White-chinned Swift (Cypseloides cryptus), photo 8 — Photo: Roger A. Morales-Flores · CC BY 4.0

White-chinned Swift (Cypseloides cryptus), photo 10 — Photo: Rob Felix · CC BY 4.0

ID tip

The white-chinned swift is about 15 cm (5.9 in) long and weighs about 35 g (1.2 oz). The sexes are alike. They have a dark brown crown and cheeks, a short white streak above the eye, a white chin, and a dark brown throat. Their back and rump are blackish brown and the wings and tail slightly darker. Their undersides are paler than the back and rump and the underside of the wing is paler than the upper side. Voice: The white-chinned swift's vocalizations have been described as "sharp chips and more melodious chirping notes; also explosive, staccato clicking notes", and they also make "single dry tick notes".

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the White-chinned Swift

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

Where to see the White-chinned Swift

Regular rangeRare visitor

The map shades 14 countries with regular records, and 1 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.

Ecuador Costa Rica Colombia Panama Peru Guyana Belize Brazil Venezuela Nicaragua Honduras French Guiana Bolivia Suriname

Recorded as a rare visitor in Guatemala.

About the White-chinned Swift

The white-chinned swift is a species of swift in the family Apodidae. It is found from Mexico south through most Central America countries into South America as far south as Peru and east as far as Suriname.

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

Easily confused with

Sooty SwiftCypseloides fumigatusThe sooty swift is about 15 cm (5.9 in) long.

Spot-fronted SwiftCypseloides cherrieiThe spot-fronted swift is about 14 cm (5.5 in) long and weighs about 23 g (0.81 oz). 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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