 The Apodidae family includes the swifts. Swifts have forked tails and their wings have a boomerang shape when they are outstretched.
Swifts spend most of their time in the air and cannot perch because their feet are so tiny! They use their tail feathers to help them land and move around on land. Swifts have short bills and are usually dull in color.
Swifts often nest in caves or on cliffs. There are 102 species of swifts. Swift species are found everywhere, except for Antarctica.
 Apodidae Photo Gallery
World Status Key
 Least Concern  Near Threatened  Vulnerable  Endangered  Critically Endangered  Extinct in Wild  Extinct  Not Enough Data
Status and range is taken from ICUN Redlist.
U.S. Status Key
 Threatened in US  Endangered in US  Introduced
Status taken from US Fish and Wildlife. Click on U.S. status icon to go to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife species profile. |
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New Hampshire Status Key
 Threatened in NH  Endangered in NH  Breeds in NH (birds)
Status taken from NH Fish and Game |
Location Key
 Africa  Asia  Australia/Oceania  Europe  North America  South America  NH  Click for More Info  Click for Image
Additional Information Resource Key
 Profile  Photos  Video  Audio
Alexander's Swift - Apus alexandri
Alexander's swift is found in Cape Verde.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Alpine Swift - Tachymarptis melba
Alpine swifts build their nests in colonies on cliffs or in caves.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Alpine Swift - Tachymarptis melba
The alpine swift is brown above and has a white chin, throat, and belly.
Source: Birds of Kazakhstan Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Alpine Swift - Tachymarptis melba
Alpine swift is found in high, rocky, mountainous areas and sometimes on sea cliffs.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Amazonian Swift - Chaetura viridipennis
The Amazonian swift is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Andean Swift - Aeronautes andecolus
The Andean swift is found in the mountains of western South America.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Antillean Palm-swift - Tachornis phoenicobia
The Antillean palm-swift is found in Cuba, the Isle of Pines, Jamaica, and Hispaniola. It is ocassionally a vagrant in Key West, Florida.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Atiu Swiftlet - Aerodramus sawtelli
The Atiu swiftlet is found on Atiu Island in the Cook Islands.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Atiu Swiftlet - Collocalia sawtelli
Atiu swiftlets nest and roost in dark parts of caves.
Source: The Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Atiu Swiftlet - Collocalia sawtelli
There are around 175 active Atiu swiftlet nests.
Source: BirdLife International Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School
American Black Swift - Cypseloides niger
American black swifts capture insects while in flight.
Source: Seattle Audubon Society Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
American Black Swift - Cypseloides niger
The American black swift is the largest swift in the U.S. and Canada.
Source: National Audubon Society Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Band-rumped Swift - Chaetura spinicaudus
The band-rumped swift is found in Central and South America.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Bare-legged Swiftlet - Aerodramus nuditarsus
The bare-legged swiftlet is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Black-nest Swiftlet - Aerodramus maximus
The black-nest swiftlet is found in Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Caroline Islands Swiftlet - Aerodramus inquietus
The Caroline Islands Swiftlet is found in Micronesia.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Cave Swiftlet - Collocalia linchi
The cave swiflet is found in Indonesia and Malaysia.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Chapman's Swift - Chaetura chapmani
Chapman's swift is found in Central and South America.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Chestnut-collared Swift - Streptoprocne rutila
The chestnut-collared swift is found in mountainous regions from Mexico south to Bolivia.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Chimney Swift - Chaetura pelagica
Chimney swifts are found from central Alberta to Newfoundland, and south to Florida, the Gulf states, and eastern Texas. They winter in western Brazil and eastern Peru.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Chimney Swift - Chaetura pelagica
The chimney swift catches insects while it is in flight.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Common Swift - Apus apus
The common swift is found throughout much of Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Common Swift - Apus apus
Common swifts fly at least 560 miles per day during the nesting season.
Source: BBC Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Common Swift - Apus apus
Common swifts nest, roost, migrate, and hunt for food in groups.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School \
Costa Rican Swift - Chaetura fumosa
The Costa Rican swift is found in Costa Rica, and Panama.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Edible-nest Swiftlet - Aerodramus fuciphagus
The edible nest swiftlet is found in Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam. Its nest is made of hardened saliva and is used to make bird's nest soup, an Asian delicacy.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Fork-tailed Palm-swift - Tachornis squamata
The fork-tailed palm- swift is found in northern and central South America.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Fork-tailed Swift - Apus pacificus
The fork-tailed swift is also known as the Pacific swift.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Glossy Swiftlet - Collocalia esculenta
The glossy swiftlet is found in Brunei Darussalam, the Christmas Island, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, the Solomon Islands, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vanuatu.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Gray-rumped Swift - Chaetura cinereiventris
The gray-rumped swift is found in Central and South America.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Uniform Swiftlet - Aerodramus vanikorensis
The uniform swiftlet is found in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Himalayan Swiftlet - Aerodramus brevirostris
The Himalayan swiftlet is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Indian Swiftlet - Aerodramus unicolor
The Indian swiftlet is found in India and Sri Lanka.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Lesser Antillean Swift - Chaetura martinica
The lesser Antillean swift is found on the islands of Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martinique, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent in the Carribean.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift - Panyptila cayennensis
The lesser swallow-tailed swift is found in Central and South America.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Little Swift - Apus affinis
The little swift is found Asia, Africa, and parts of the Mediterranean.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Mayr's Swiftlet - Aerodramus orientalis
Mayr's swiftlet is native to Papua New Guinea anf the Solomon Islands.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Mariana Swiftlet - Aerodramus bartschi
The Mariana swiftlet is found in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Mascarene Swiftlet - Aerodramus francicus i
The Mascarene swiftlet is found in Mauritius and Reunion.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Moluccan Swiftlet - Aerodramus infuscatus
The Moluccan swiftlet is found in Indonesia.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Mountain Swiftlet - Aerodramus hirundinaceus
The mountain swiftlet is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Mossy-nest Swiftlet - Aerodramus salangana
The mossy-nest swiftlet is found in Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Pallid Swift - Apus pallidus
The pallid swift spends much of its life in the air.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Palau Swiftlet - Aerodramus pelewensis
The Palau swiftlet is found in Palau.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Plain Swift - Apus unicolor
The plain swift is found in Mauritania, Morocco, Portugal, and Spain.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Polynesian Swiftlet - Aerodramus leucophaeus
The Polynesian swiftlet is found in French Polynesia.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Seychelles Swiftlet - Collocalia elaphra
The Seychelles swiftlet is found only on the islands of Mahé, Praslin and La Digue in the Seychelles Islands off the coast of Africa.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Seychelles Swiftlet - Collocalia elaphra
There are around 2,500-3,000 Seychelles swiftlets in the wild.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Short-tailed Swift - Chaetura brachyura
The short-tailed swift is found in Panama, South America and on the islands of Granada, St. Vincent, and Tobago in the Caribbean.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Sick's Swift - Chaetura meridionalis
Sick's swift is found in South America.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Spot-fronted Swift - Cypseloides cherriei
The spot-fronted swift is found in Costa Rica, Colombia and Ecuador.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Tahiti Swiftlet - Collocalia leucophaea
The Tahiti swiftlet breeds on Tahiti in the Society Islands.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Tahiti Swiftlet - Collocalia leucophaea
There are around 1,000 Tahiti swiftlets in the wild.
Source: BirdLife International Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School
Vaux's Swift - Chaetura vauxi
At about 4.3 inches in length, Vaux's swift is the smallest swift in North America.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Vaux's Swift - Chaetura vauxi
Unlike chimney swifts, Vaux's swifts do not often nest in chimneys.
Source: Seattle Audubon Society Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Vaux's Swift - Chaetura vauxi
Vaux's swifts are found from southwestern Canada to the western United States, Mexico, Central America, and northern Venezuela.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
White-chinned Swift - Cypseloides cryptus
The white-chinned swift is found in
Central and South America,
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
White-collared Swift - Streptoprocne zonaris
The white-collared swift is found in Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
White-fronted Swift - Cypseloides storeri
The white-fronted swift is found in Mexico.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
White-throated Swift - Aeronautes saxatalis
The white-throated swift is found in the western United States south through Mexico and Central America.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
White-throated Swift - Aeronautes saxatalis
The white-throated swift is found on rocky cliffs and canyons.
Source: Seattle Audubon Society Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
White-tipped Swift - Aeronautes montivagus
The white-tipped swift is found in South America.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
White-naped Swift - Streptoprocne semicollaris
The white-naped swift is found in western Mexico.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
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The Apodidae family includes the swifts. Swifts have forked tails and their wings have a boomerang shape when they are outstretched.
