Photo: Michael Woodruff / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift
Panyptila cayennensis
Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift (Panyptila cayennensis) — Swifts of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 12 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift (Panyptila cayennensis) is a member of the Apodidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 21.1 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Apodiformes
- Family Apodidae Swifts
- Genus Panyptila
- Species cayennensis
Where it lives
Mexico to northern Bolivia and southeastern Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago
Quick facts
- Weight
- 21.1 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Apodidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift (Panyptila cayennensis) is a species of bird in the Apodidae family, part of the order Apodiformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA Mexico to n Bolivia and se Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 21.1 g, with a wing length of about 11.9 cm and a tail of around 5.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 8.5 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift?
The Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift is a small bird that weighs around 21.1 g.
Where does the Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift live?
The Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA Mexico to n Bolivia and se Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift belong to?
The Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift (Panyptila cayennensis) belongs to the Apodidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift eat?
The Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift migrate?
The Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift make?
1 real field recording of the Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift's range?
The Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift has a mapped global range of about 8.5 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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