Chapman's Swift

Overview

Chapman's swift (Chaetura chapmani) is a species of bird in the swift family Apodidae. It is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, though its population is believed to be decreasing.

Identification

• Length of 13 to 14 cm with a weight between 20.75 and 28 g.
• Protruding head, short square tail, and wings that bulge in the middle and hook at the end.
• Glossy black upperparts with a dark gray rump and dark brown underparts in the nominate subspecies.
• Principal call consists of a long series of strident single notes, transcribed as 'tseep..tseep..tseep'.

Habitat

The species mainly inhabits tropical lowland evergreen forest, secondary forest, and secondary scrublands across parts of South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. It has also been recorded feeding over coastal swamps and mangroves, ranging in elevation from sea level to 1,600 m in Colombia.

Diet

Chapman's swift is an aerial insectivore that often feeds alongside other species of swift, though it also forages in flocks consisting solely of its own kind.

Did you know?

Nests are half a cup attached to a vertical surface and are often human-made structures such as chimneys. There is also speculation that the species may nest in hollow trees.