Chaetura fumosa
The Costa Rican Swift (Chaetura fumosa) is a small, enigmatic aerial insectivore endemic to the humid montane forests of Costa Rica and western Panama. Measuring approximately 10-12 cm (4-4.7 inches) in length with a wingspan of 28-30 cm, this species presents a uniformly dusky brownish-gray plumage, slightly paler on the rump and belly, giving it a smoky appearance, hence its scientific epithet. Its body is cigar-shaped, featuring long, narrow, sickle-shaped wings and a short, square tail eq...
Found in humid montane evergreen forests, cloud forests, and forest edges, typically at elevations between 700 and 1,850 meters (2,300-6,070 feet).
Exclusively consumes aerial insects, including beetles, flies, ants, and termites, caught mid-flight using its wide gape.
The Costa Rican Swift is a diurnal bird, spending virtually its entire active life in continuous, high-speed flight, rarely ever landing except to roost or nest. It is an adept aerial insectivore, constantly hawking small flying insects high above the forest canopy or over clearings and ridges. W...
The Costa Rican Swift is endemic to a restricted range within the humid highlands of Costa Rica and western Panama. Its primary distribution lies along the central and southern Pacific slopes, as well as the Caribbean slopes of the Talamanca Mountain Range in Costa Rica, extending into the high-e...
Least Concern
- The Costa Rican Swift was once considered a subspecies of the widespread Vaux's Swift before being recognized as a distinct species due to unique vocalizations and subtle morphological differences. - Its scientific name, *fumosa*, is Latin for 'smoky', a direct reference to its uniformly dusky,...