Vaux’s Swift

The Vaux’s Swift (Chaetura vauxi) breeds from South Alaska, California, Mexico, to Panama and North Venezuela. This bird inhabits in pairs, and lives in pastures and cities or forests. Known as the common black swift of the highlands, it is 11 cm (4 inches) in height and 18 g in weight.

It is mostly glossy black, with rump, upper tail-coverts, and breast dull dark grayish-brown. Its throat is pale gay, its bill and feet are black. Its diet is based on ants, termites, bugs, flies and wasps.