Photo: in Alcide Dessalines d'Orbigny / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
White-tipped Swift
Aeronautes montivagus
White-tipped Swift (Aeronautes montivagus) — Swifts of South America.
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-tipped Swift (Aeronautes montivagus) is a member of the Apodidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 20.1 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 Aeronautes
- Species montivagus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 20.1 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Apodidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The White-tipped 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-tipped Swift is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The White-tipped Swift (Aeronautes montivagus) is a member of the Apodidae family, within the order Apodiformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA Venezuela to nw Argentina.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 20.1 g, with a wing length of about 11.5 cm and a tail of around 4.6 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 843,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White-tipped Swift?
The White-tipped Swift is a small bird that weighs around 20.1 g.
Where does the White-tipped Swift live?
The White-tipped Swift is found across South America with a range covering SA Venezuela to nw Argentina, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the White-tipped Swift belong to?
The White-tipped Swift (Aeronautes montivagus) belongs to the Apodidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the White-tipped Swift eat?
The White-tipped Swift is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the White-tipped Swift migrate?
The White-tipped Swift is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the White-tipped 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-tipped Swift make?
1 real field recording of the White-tipped Swift — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the White-tipped Swift's range?
The White-tipped Swift has a mapped global range of about 843,000 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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