Chaetura vauxi
The Vaux's Swift (Chaetura vauxi) is a small, dynamic aerial insectivore renowned for its distinctive cigar-shaped body and long, scythe-like wings that beat with rapid, fluttering motions. Measuring approximately 11-12 cm (4.3-4.7 inches) in length with a wingspan of 25-28 cm (9.8-11 inches) and weighing a mere 18-20 grams, this swift sports a sooty-gray to dusky-brown plumage, notably paler on its throat and belly, providing a subtle contrast against its darker upperparts. Its tail is short...
Primarily inhabits mature and old-growth coniferous and deciduous forests, especially near water, from sea level to moderate elevations up to 2,000 meters. Increasingly utilizes urban and suburban areas with suitable vertical structures for roosting and nesting.
Exclusively insectivorous, feeding on a wide variety of flying insects including mosquitoes, flies, beetles, ants, and termites. They forage continuously on the wing, catching prey with their wide, gaping mouths.
Vaux's Swifts are almost entirely aerial, spending their days continuously foraging on the wing. They are highly diurnal, returning to communal roosts at dusk and departing at dawn. These roosts, often in hollow trees or large chimneys, can host hundreds to thousands of individuals, creating spec...
The breeding range of Vaux's Swift spans western North America, extending from southeastern Alaska and western Canada southward through the Pacific Northwest, California, and into southern Mexico and Central America. The northernmost populations (Chaetura vauxi vauxi) are migratory, moving south ...
Least Concern
- Vaux's Swifts cannot perch; their feet are adapted only for clinging to vertical surfaces like tree bark or chimney bricks. - Their nests are engineering marvels, constructed from twigs and 'glued' together and to a vertical substrate using the bird's own sticky saliva. - These swifts are famou...