Chapman's swift is a species of bird in subfamily Apodinae of the swift family Apodidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad, Venezuela, and possibly Ecuador.
Region
Northern South America and southern Central America
Typical Environment
Occurs from Panama through northern South America including Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas, Trinidad, and parts of Brazil, Peru, and Bolivia, with possible occurrence in Ecuador. It frequents lowland and foothill tropical forests, forest edges, gallery forests, and second-growth mosaics. The species also ranges over savannas, river corridors, and occasionally urban areas where aerial insects are abundant. It is most often seen flying above the canopy but will descend over clearings and watercourses during feeding bouts.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1800 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Named for American ornithologist Frank M. Chapman, this small swift is notoriously hard to separate from similar Chaetura species in the field. It often forages high above the canopy in fast-moving flocks, sometimes mixing with Gray-rumped and Short-tailed Swifts. Like other Chaetura, it nests in cavities, attaching a small twig platform to the inner wall with saliva.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with swift, direct flight; agile aerial maneuvers
Social Behavior
Commonly forms loose to tight flocks while foraging and may mix with other swift species. Nests in cavities such as hollow trees or man-made structures, building a small, saliva-bound twig nest attached to vertical walls. Likely monogamous, with pairs defending the immediate nest site while roosting communally outside the breeding season.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Gives high, thin chips and rapid twittering calls during flight. Vocalizations are brief, buzzy notes exchanged among flockmates, more frequent over feeding areas and near roosts.
Plumage
Overall sooty-brown to dark brown with a noticeably paler grayish rump and lower back; throat slightly paler than breast. Feathers appear sleek and compact, typical of Chaetura swifts.
Diet
Feeds almost exclusively on flying insects, including ants, termites, flies, beetles, and wasps. It captures prey on the wing, often high above the canopy. During swarming events of ants or termites, flocks may gather and feed intensively. Foraging height and area can shift with weather, insect availability, and time of day.
Preferred Environment
Typically forages above forest canopies, along forest edges, and over rivers and clearings where aerial insects concentrate. It will also hunt above towns and open country when conditions are favorable.
