Photo: Paulo Mascaretti / CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
White-chinned Swift
Cypseloides cryptus
White-chinned Swift (Cypseloides cryptus) — Swifts of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
See what's near you right nowThe White-chinned Swift (Cypseloides cryptus) is a member of the Apodidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 34.5 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 cryptus
Where it lives
Belize to Guyana, northern Brazil and southeastern Peru
Quick facts
- Weight
- 34.5 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Apodidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The White-chinned 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 White-chinned Swift is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The White-chinned Swift (Cypseloides cryptus) is a member of the Apodidae family, within the order Apodiformes. Its range spans Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA Belize to Guyana, n Brazil and se Peru.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 34.5 g, with a wing length of about 13.7 cm and a tail of around 4.5 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 413,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White-chinned Swift?
The White-chinned Swift is a small bird that weighs around 34.5 g.
Where does the White-chinned Swift live?
The White-chinned Swift is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA Belize to Guyana, n Brazil and se Peru, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the White-chinned Swift belong to?
The White-chinned Swift (Cypseloides cryptus) belongs to the Apodidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the White-chinned Swift eat?
The White-chinned Swift is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the White-chinned Swift migrate?
The White-chinned Swift is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the White-chinned 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 White-chinned Swift make?
1 real field recording of the White-chinned Swift — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the White-chinned Swift's range?
The White-chinned Swift has a mapped global range of about 413,000 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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