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- Chaetura vauxi
Includes: Ashy-tailed Swift
Identification
10.7 to 11.2 cm
- Dusky black head, upperparts and wings
- Grey brown underparts, rump and tail coverts
- Paler grey throat (whiter in northern birds)
Sexes similar Juveniles: dusky bases to the throat feathers
Distribution
North, Central and South America
North America: Canada, British Columbia, Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah and Washington
Central America: Mexico, Baja California, Baja California Sur, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama
South America: Venezuela
Taxonomy
Subspecies[1]
Six subspecies are recognized:
- C. v. vauxi:
- C. v. gaumeri:
- South-eastern Mexico (Yucatán Peninsula) and Cozumel Island
- C. v. tamaulipensis:
- Eastern Mexico (south-western Tamaulípas and south-eastern San Luis Potosí)
- C. v. richmondi:
- Southern Mexico to Costa Rica and extreme western Panama (Chiriquí)
- C. v. ochropygia:
- Eastern Panama
- C. v. aphanes
- Northern Venezuela (coastal ranges, from Lara and Yaracuy east to Sucre and Monagas)
- C. v. andrei:
- Northern Venezuela: confirmed from the Orinoco Valley in Bolívar, but presumably is more widespread
Andrei was formerly regarded as full species, Ashy-tailed Swift.
An additional subspecies warneri is generally considered invalid[1].
Habitat
Mountains and foothills, mainly above 700 m, forests and towns.
Behaviour
Breeding
The cup-shaped twiggy nest is built in a tree hole or cliff crevice. The clutch consists of 3 white eggs.
Diet
Includes flying insects, such as beetles, wasps, termites and flying ants.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2019. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World: v2019. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Avibase
- Wikipedia
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Vaux's Swift. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 4 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Vaux%27s_Swift