Biscutate Swift

Overview

The biscutate swift (Streptoprocne biscutata) is a species of bird in the swift family Apodidae, found in parts of South America. It is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List, although its population is believed to be decreasing.

Identification

• Size: About 22 cm long and weighs approximately 115 g.
• Plumage: Sooty brown head and sooty blackish brown body, distinguished by a wide white band across the breast and a narrow white band on the nape that do not meet.
• Tail: Almost square in shape.
• Vocalisation: Principal calls described as "chee chee chee chee chee..." or "weep-weep-weep".

Habitat

Found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and possibly Paraguay, inhabiting a variety of landscapes including montane and lowland evergreen forest, temperate forest, tropical deciduous forest, and scrublands. It is a year-round resident in southern Brazil but present in the far north of its range only during the austral winter months.

Diet

An aerial insectivore that forages mostly in single-species flocks but occasionally with white-collared swifts. Its diet is assumed to consist of insects of many orders, similar to other members of its genus, though specific details are lacking.

Did you know?

The species breeds colonially in caves, constructing nests from lichen, bryophytes, other plant material, and soil on ledges or vertical walls.