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Chimney Swift
Chaetura pelagica
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About the Chimney Swift
The chimney swift (Chaetura pelagica) is a bird belonging to the swift family Apodidae. A member of the genus Chaetura, it is closely related to both Vaux's swift and Chapman's swift; in the past, the three were sometimes considered to be conspecific. It has no subspecies. The chimney swift is a medium-sized, sooty gray bird with very long, slender wings and very short legs. Like all swifts, it is incapable of perching on flat surfaces, and can only perch on vertical surfaces. Many fly around all day and only come down at night when roosting. The chimney swift feeds primarily on flying insects, but also on airborne spiders. It generally mates for life.
Source: Wikipedia
Classification
- Scientific name
- Chaetura pelagica
- Family
- Swifts
- Order
- Apodiformes
Similar species
Other members of the swifts family recorded in North America — a useful place to start if you are not certain of your identification.
- Antillean Palm Swift Tachornis phoenicobia
- Black Swift Cypseloides niger
- Chestnut-collared Swift Streptoprocne rutila
- Common Swift Apus apus
- Great Swallow-tailed Swift Panyptila sanctihieronymi
- Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift Panyptila cayennensis
- Mariana Swiftlet Aerodramus bartschi
- Pacific Swift Apus pacificus
- Vaux's Swift Chaetura vauxi
- White-collared Swift Streptoprocne zonaris
- White-fronted Swift Cypseloides storeri
- White-naped Swift Streptoprocne semicollaris
Know when the Chimney Swift turns up near you
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Optics
Best Binoculars for Beginners
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Cameras
Cameras for Bird Photography
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