Rothschild´s Swift

Rothschild´s swift (Cypseloides rothschildi) is a Near Threatened species of bird in subfamily Cypseloidinae of the swift family Apodidae. It is found in Argentina and Bolivia.

Taxonomy and systematics: Rothschild´s swift, white-chested swift, (Cypseloides lemosi), American black swift (C. niger), and sooty swift (C. fumigatus) form a superspecies. Some authors have treated Rothschild´s and sooty swifts as conspecific. Rothschild´s swift is monotypic.

 Rothschild´s swift is about 15 cm long. It has long, broad wings and a short squarish tail. Its plumage is a uniform medium brown.

Distribution and habitat: Rothschild´s swift is found from Bolivia´s Santa Cruz Department south into northwestern Argentina as far as Córdoba Province. There are no records in Peru despite its being included there in some taxonomic lists. The species´ habitat requirements are not well known. Most records have been over evergreen montane forest at elevations between 500 and.

Migration: Rothschild´s swift appears to be a year-round resident in most of its range, though it might winter at the northern end of it.

Feeding: Like all swifts, Rothschild´s is an aerial insectivore, but no details of its diet are known.

Breeding: Nothing is known about Rothschild´s swift´s breeding phenology.

Vocalization: As of late 2022, xeno-canto had a single recording of a Rothschild´s swift vocalization, and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology´s Macaulay Library had none. It reportedly makes a "short ´pip´ or ´peep´" in flight.

Status: The IUCN has assessed Rothschild´s swift as Near Threatened. It has a small range and an estimated population of 6000 to 15,000 mature individuals; the latter is believed to be stable. Much of the Yungas forest where it lives has been logged or converted to agriculture. It does occur in some protected areas.