White-throated Swift Identification

The Four Keys to ID

• Size & Shape

  A fairly large swift with a long, slim body and very long, narrow wings that curve like a scimitar. The overall slim outline can make it appear small, especially at a distance.

  Relative Size

  Larger than a Vaux’s Swift, smaller and slenderer than a Purple Martin.

  between sparrow and robin

  Measurements

  • Both Sexes
  • • Length: 5.9-7.1 in (15-18 cm)
    • Weight: 1.0-1.3 oz (28-36 g)

  © Matt Davis / Macaulay Library

• Color Pattern

  A blackish brown bird with a white throat and a white strip down the center of the breast and belly. Upperparts are blackish with white flanks and a white trailing edge to the secondaries (the inner part of the wing).

• Behavior

  Catches tiny aerial insects, usually high in the sky. The fast, erratic flight and high-pitched calls are distinctive even when plumage pattern is hard to see.

• Habitat

  Nests in natural crevices on rocky cliffs or canyon walls, from sea level to high mountain peaks. Forages over virtually any terrestrial habitat that features small aerial insects. Sometimes nests in buildings, bridges, and overpasses, sometimes in cities.