- Cypseloides rothschildi
Identification
At 15cm a medium sized swift with uniform brown plumage, broad, long wings, and short, square tail.
Similar Species
Sooty Swift: very difficult to distinguish in the field, in hand separable by soft tail without stiffened or protruding feather shafts
Distribution
Found locally in South America. Mainly in north-western Argentina, presumably also occurs in Bolivia and Peru.
A restricted range species with very little information about range and population. Considered near-threatened.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species[1].
Forms a superspecies with White-chested Swift, Black Swift and Sooty Swift. By some authorities considered to be conspecific with Sooty Swift and/or White-chinned Swift.
Habitat
Believed to be moist montanes and high altitude grasslands, but not very well known.
Behaviour
No information about food or breeding. Further study needed.
Presumably a resident. Some believe the species is wintering in Bolivia and Peru.
References
- Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Rothschild's Swift. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 11 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Rothschild%27s_Swift
