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The white-tipped swift is a species of bird in the subfamily Apodinae of the family Apodidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela, and possibly Guyana.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
The white-tipped swift is 12 to 13 cm (4.7 to 5.1 in) long and weighs 17 to 33 g (0.60 to 1.2 oz). It has slim pointed wings and a long slightly notched tail. Adult males of the nominate subspecies are blackish brown on the crown and around the eye; most of the rest of the face is gray brown. Their upperparts are the same blackish brown as the crown. Their tail is black-brown with wide white tips to the feathers. Their wings are blackish brown with white edges on some feathers. Their throat, sides of the neck, and the upper breast are white. Voice: The white-tipped swift's flight calls has been described in many ways including a "distinctive, rachetlike, buzzing call, j-j-j-j-j-j 'j'j'j'j'J'J'J'J'j'j'j'j'j'j-j-j-j" and "a ringing, grating chatter: bzz-zz'zzz'zzz'zeee'tur'tur".
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
What the White-tipped Swift sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Brazil.
When to see it
Peak activity in October · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Learn the White-tipped Swift for real
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