Birds of Costa Rica

    APODIFORMES: Apodidae (Swifts)  
Genus: Cypseloides (3 species, 8 worldwide)

Cypseloides is a genus of medium sized uniformly dark swifts with a square or only slightly forked tail.


Spot-fronted Swift
Spot-fronted Swift (Cypseloides cherriei)
 
   
Photograph by Andres Cuervo     Copyright and usage info

Small (14 cm.) dark swift with square tail. Not well known, but found in mountainous areas between 1000m and 2000m (HBW). May fly with Chestnut-collared Swift (Hilty).

No Image
White-chinned Swift (Cypseloides cryptus)
   


Medium-sized swift with impossible to see light-colored chin. Unforked tail. Not well known; found at many altitudes and habitat types, but very uncommon.

American Black Swift
American Black Swift (Cypseloides niger) Vulnerable
La Mina, Durango, Mexico  
   
Photograph by Amy McAndrews     Copyright and usage info

American Black Swift
American Black Swift (Cypseloides niger) Vulnerable
Box Canon Falls, Ouray, Colorado, United States  
   
Photograph by Aaron Maizlish     Copyright and usage info

Northern migrant. Migrates from western Canada and USA to northwest Amazon. A large black swift (18 cm.) with some grey on the head.


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