White-chested Swift (Cypseloides lemosi)

Identification & Behavior: ~14 cm (5.5 in). The White-chested Swift is black with a white roughly triangular patch on the breast in the adult. The juvenile is all black. The tail is notched. The adult is similar to the White-collared Swift but is distinguished by a smaller size and a white patch restricted to the breast. The juvenile is similar to the White-chinned Swift but is distinguished by having a notched tail, and no white on the feet area. Extreme care must be used when identifying Cypseloides swifts.

Status: The White-chested Swift is rare on the east slope of the Andes at elevations ranging between 350 – 1600 m. Sight records indicate that the White-chested Swift wonders further onto the Amazonian lowlands. The geographic distribution of this swift is poorly understood and may be overlooked due to similarities to other swifts. The White-chested Swift also occurs in Co, Ec, Br, and Bo.

Name in Spanish: Vencejo de Pecho Blanco.

Sub-species: White-chested Swift (Cypseloides lemosi), Eisenmann and Lehmann, 1962.

Meaning of Name: Cypseloides: Gr. Cypselus= Genus Cypselus Illiger 1811. Oidēs= resembling. lemosi: In honor of Antonio José Lemos-Gúzman (1900-1967) Colombian physician, historian, politician, Gov. of Cauca.

See more of the Family Apodidae