Short-tailed Swift
Chaetura brachyura
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Über uns
A small swift (10-11 cm) found in lowland forests from Panama to southern Brazil and Trinidad. Dark plumage with a noticeably short, square tail with spine tips. Aerial insectivore, foraging over forest canopy and clearings. The smallest member of the genus Chaetura.
Physical Description
| Measurement | Value | Imperial |
|---|---|---|
| Flügelspannweite | 23,7 cm | 9.3 in |
| Gewicht | 18,625 g | 0.66 oz |
Identifizierung
Gefieder
Small; dark sooty-brown upperparts; very pale whitish rump and tail contrasting sharply with dark body; underparts pale greyish; extremely short tail giving distinctive blunt-ended flight silhouette; widespread Trinidad to Argentina.
Habitat & Range
Geografisches Verbreitungsgebiet
Found across South America east of the Andes, from Trinidad and the Guianas south to Bolivia and the Río de la Plata. Lowland forest.
Diet & Feeding
Feeds exclusively on aerial plankton — tiny flies, aphids, and spiders — captured in continuous fast flight.
Erhaltungsstatus
Verhalten & Brutverhalten
Nistverhalten
Incubation: 17-18 days. Fledging: 22-23 days.
Gelegegröße
2-7
Lautgebung
Gesang
Harsh, screaming chatter with emphatic delivery; loud coarse notes erupting suddenly during competitive aerial encounters.
Taxonomie
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Ordnung | Caprimulgiformes (Nachtschwalben und Segler) |
| Familie | Apodidae (Segler) |
| Genus | Chaetura |
| Arten | Chaetura brachyura |
Distribution
Short-tailed Swift has been recorded in 4 countries.
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External Databases
Häufig gestellte Fragen
What does the Short-tailed Swift eat?
Where does the Short-tailed Swift live?
Is the Short-tailed Swift endangered?
How does the Short-tailed Swift nest?
What does the Short-tailed Swift sound like?
How big is the Short-tailed Swift?
What order and family does the Short-tailed Swift belong to?
Similar Birds
Other species in the Apodidae family