Photo: David F. Belmonte / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Great Dusky Swift
Cypseloides senex
Great Dusky Swift (Cypseloides senex) — Swifts of South America.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Great Dusky Swift (Cypseloides senex) is a member of the Apodidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 82.2 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 Cypseloides
- Species senex
Where it lives
Central Brazil to northeastern Bolivia, eastern Paraguay and northeastern Argentina
Quick facts
- Weight
- 82.2 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Apodidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Great Dusky 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 Great Dusky Swift is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Great Dusky Swift (Cypseloides senex) is a member of the Apodidae family, within the order Apodiformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA c Brazil to ne Bolivia, e Paraguay and ne Argentina.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 82.2 g, with a wing length of about 16.9 cm and a tail of around 5.6 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 2 million km².
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Great Dusky Swift?
The Great Dusky Swift is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 82.2 g.
Where does the Great Dusky Swift live?
The Great Dusky Swift is found across South America with a range covering SA c Brazil to ne Bolivia, e Paraguay and ne Argentina, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Great Dusky Swift belong to?
The Great Dusky Swift (Cypseloides senex) belongs to the Apodidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the Great Dusky Swift eat?
The Great Dusky Swift is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Great Dusky Swift migrate?
The Great Dusky Swift is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Great Dusky 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.
How large is the Great Dusky Swift's range?
The Great Dusky Swift has a mapped global range of about 2 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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