Swifts

Order: CAPRIMULGIFORMES - Family: APODIDAE

96 Species currently existing - 17 in region

Swifts are small to medium-sized birds characterized by their slender bodies, long wings, and swift, agile flight.

Appearance: Swifts typically have dark, sooty plumage and long, pointed wings. They have short legs, designed for perching rather than walking, and a wide gape ideal for catching insects in flight. Their beaks are short and wide, suited for their insectivorous diet.

Habitat: Swifts are known for their aerial prowess and are often found soaring high in the skies. In Colombia, swifts can be observed in a variety of habitats, including forests, grasslands, and near water bodies where they feed on flying insects. They are commonly seen near cliffs, using these as nesting sites.

Behavior: Swifts are highly adapted for life on the wing. They feed exclusively on insects caught in flight, using their agility and speed to capture prey mid-air. Their unique wing shape and structure enable them to perform intricate aerial maneuvers with precision.

Breeding: Swifts are generally monogamous and form long-lasting pair bonds. They often nest in colonies on cliffs or in crevices, using their saliva to attach their nests to vertical surfaces. Breeding pairs raise one or two chicks, which are fed a diet of regurgitated insects.

Spot-fronted Swift

Cypseloides cherriei
Spanish name: Vencejo Cuatro-ojos

Size: 5.5 in | 14 cm
Habitat: Montane cloud forests. They are often seen flying over forested areas, particularly near cliffs, ravines, and other steep terrain.
Height: 1100 - 2200 m

Photo: © Cory Gregory eBird S35485879 Macaulay Library ML 53403531

White-chinned Swift

Cypseloides criptus
Spanish name: Vencejo Barbiblanco

Size: 6 in | 15 cm
Habitat: Montane cloud forests, evergreen forests, and sometimes partially cleared areas with trees.
Height: 300 - 1500 m

Photo: © Guillermo Saborío Vega eBird S68916343 Macaulay Library ML 233778041

Black Swift

Cypseloides niger
Spanish name: Vencejo Negro

Size: 6.7 in | 17 cm
Habitat: Rugged, mountainous terrain near clear, cold, swift-flowing streams and waterfalls.
Height: 1500 -2600 m

Photo: © Michael Bolte eBird S37440073 Macaulay Library ML 60460801

White-chested Swift

Cypseloides lemosi
Spanish name: Vencejo Pechiblanco

Size: 5.5 in | 14 cm
Habitat: Montane cloud forests, humid evergreen forests, and other forested areas at higher elevations.
Height: 1000 - 1800 m

Photo: © Tim Avery eBird S11433853 Macaulay Library ML 34391851

Chestnut-collared Swift

Streptoprocne rutila
Spanish name: Vencejo Cuellirojo

Size: 5.5 in | 14 cm
Habitat: Lowland tropical forests, humid montane forests, and forest edges.
Height: 500 - 3000 m

Photo: © David Monroy Rengifo eBird S49809639 Macaulay Library ML 122849281

White-collared Swift

Streptoprocne solaris
Spanish Name: Vencejo Collarejo

Size: 8 in | 20 cm
Habitat: Humid forests, montane forests, clearings, and savannas.
Height: <3500 m

Photo: © Oscar Ramirez Alan eBird S48429210 Macaulay Library ML 114456061

Band-rumped Swift

Chaetura spinicaudus
Spanish name: Vencejo Culiblanco

Size: 4.3 in | 11 cm
Habitat: Humid lowland forests, foothill forests, and forest edges.
Height: <1800 m

Photo: © Jay McGowan eBird S16331965 Macaulay Library ML 39628431

Gray-rumped Swift

Chaetura cinereiventris
Spanish name: Vencejo Cenizo

Size: 4.3 in | 11 cm
Habitat: Tropical and subtropical forests, forest edges, open areas, and sometimes near water sources.
Height: <2000 m

Photo: © Cory Gregory eBird S35485879 Macaulay Library ML 53403741

Pale-rumped Swift

Chaetura egregia
Spanish name: Vencejo Rabipalido

Size: 5 in | 3 cm
Habitat: Humid forests, forest edges, savannahs, and areas near water sources, such as rivers or lakes.
Height: <400 m

Photo: © Roger Ahlman eBird S40554521 Macaulay Library ML 76773841

Chimney Swift

Chaetura pelagica
Spanish name: Vencejo de Chimenea

Size: 5.3 in | 13.5 cm
Habitat: Mature forests with large trees for nesting sites, but in response to habitat loss, they have readily adopted chimneys as substitutes.
Height: <3000 m

Photo: © Roger Ahlman eBird S40554521 Macaulay Library ML 76773841

Chapman's Swift

Chaetura chapmani
Spanish name:

Size: 5 in | 13 cm
Habitat: Humid forests, cloud forests, and forest edges and lower montane regions.
Height: <1600 m

Photo: © Robert wellens eBird S46021244 Macaulay Library ML 102171921

Southern Swift, Chaetura meridionals, Vencejo Sureño

Southern Swift (Sick's Swift)

Chaetura meridionals
Spanish name: Vencejo Sureño

Size: 5 in | 13 cm
Habitat: Grasslands, savannas, open woodlands, and even urban areas with suitable roosting and nesting sites.
Height: <400-1500? m

Short-tailed Swift

Chaetura brachyura
Spanish name: Vencejo Rabicorto

Size: 4.3 in | 11 cm
Habitat: Open landscapes such as savannas, grasslands, and open woodlands.
Height: <1300 m

White-tipped Swift

Aeronautes montivagus
Spanish name: Vencejo Pierniblanco

Size: 5 in | 13 cm
Habitat: Mountainous areas, Andean cloud forests, and open areas.
Height: 400 - 2700 m

Pygmy Swift

Tachornis furcata
Spanish name: Vencejo Enano

Size: 4 in | 10 cm
Habitat: Open woodlands and savannahs, and scrublands, town with palms.
Height: <800 m

Fork-tailed Palm Swift

Tachornis squamata
Spanish name: Vencejo Palmero

Size: 5 in | 13 cm
Habitat:Tropical and subtropical regions, palm trees, where they construct their cup-shaped nests out of plant fibers, feathers, and saliva.
Height: <1000 m

Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift

Panyptila cayennensis
Spanish name: Vencejo Rabihorcado

Size: 5.5in | 14 cm
Habitat: Forested areas, lowlands and foothills.
Height: <1400 m

Birds by Orden and Family