Chapman's Swift Chaetura chapmani Scientific name definitions

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The Chapman’s Swift, named for that famous student of Neotropical birds, Frank M. Chapman, was until comparatively recently considered to be conspecific with the Amazonian Swift (Chaetura viridipennis); the two species are probably almost entirely allopatric, although the more southerly distributed Amazonian Swift is speculated to make northward migrations, and thus might seasonally co-occur with Chapman’s Swift. In terms of morphology, the Chapman’s Swift is a relatively large and comparatively dark Chaetura, with the only contrast being offered by the marginally paler and grayer lower back to uppertail coverts. The species’ geographical range encompasses central Panama to Venezuela, the Guianas, and northern Brazil mainly north of the Amazon River. This swift has been recorded over-flying a variety of habitats to at least 1600 m elevation, and is usually encountered among groups of other swifts, especially Short-tailed Swifts (Chaetura brachyura), Gray-rumped Swifts, and Band-rumped Swifts (Chaetura spinicauda). Its relative rarity, compared to the other species just mentioned, makes it unsurprising that only one nest has ever been discovered, on the island of Trinidad.

Chapman's Swift (Chaetura chapmani)

13–14 cm; 20·75–28 g (1 Chantler, P., and G. Driessens (2000). Swifts: A Guide to the Swifts and Treeswifts of the World. 2nd edition. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ). Darker and more heavily glossed than most Chaetura, and most likely to be confused (at least in N of range) with <em>C. vauxi</em> , which is smaller, exhibits even less contrast between rump and saddle, but is much paler below, especially on throat (1 Chantler, P., and G. Driessens (2000). Swifts: A Guide to the Swifts and Treeswifts of the World. 2nd edition. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ). <em>C. pelagica</em> is larger and shows less contrast on upperparts, while <em>C. brachyura</em> is obviously shorter-tailed and darker below and C. andrei has upperparts more like C. vauxi but underparts closer in pattern to those of the present species (1 Chantler, P., and G. Driessens (2000). Swifts: A Guide to the Swifts and Treeswifts of the World. 2nd edition. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ). Medium-sized swift with short square tail  , rectrix spines 6 mm beyond web, protruding head and distinctive wing shape  , with hooked outer wing and bulging midwing cutting in at body. Glossy black upperparts  with somewhat paler grey rump and uppertail-coverts  ; very uniform dark brown underparts  . Race viridipennis  larger (wing 127–135 mm, versus 116–123·5 mm in chapmani) (1 Chantler, P., and G. Driessens (2000). Swifts: A Guide to the Swifts and Treeswifts of the World. 2nd edition. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ) and rump even less contrasting (1 Chantler, P., and G. Driessens (2000). Swifts: A Guide to the Swifts and Treeswifts of the World. 2nd edition. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ). A recent study suggests that differences in gloss between subspecies result from age differences in specimens, and states that viridipennis differs from C. andrei meridionalis in culmen length, less contrasting and more uniform throat and rump coloration, and in having primaries P9 and P10 equal in length.

Chapman's Swift (Chaetura chapmani)

Chapman's Swift (Chaetura chapmani)

Main habitats defined as tropical lowland evergreen forest, secondary forest and second-growth scrub. In Colombia occurs from sea-level to 1600 m, in N Venezuela to 600 m and in S Venezuela to 200 m, while recently recorded to c. 800 m in Amazonian Brazil (3 Pacheco, J. F., G. M. Kirwan, A. Aleixo, B. M. Whitney, A. Whittaker, J. Minns, K. J. Zimmer, P. S. M. Fonseca, M. F. Lima, and D. C. Oren (2007). An avifaunal inventory of the CVRD Serra dos Carajás project, Pará, Brazil. Cotinga 27:15–30. Close ). Recorded throughout Trinidad, but prefers wooded terrain with hills and especially forested uplands. Also seen feeding close to sea-level over swamp and mangrove areas.

Chapman's Swift (Chaetura chapmani)

Nominate race resident within its range; viridipennis a transequatorial migrant, with Mar–Apr records from Antioquia and Cundinamarca (4 Downing, C. (2005). New distributional information for some Colombian birds, with a new species for South America. Cotinga. 24: 13–15. Close ), Colombia. Recorded late Aug, Los Fierros, Santa Cruz, E Bolivia. Present in Serra dos Carajás, Pará, E Amazonian Brazil, most months of year (3 Pacheco, J. F., G. M. Kirwan, A. Aleixo, B. M. Whitney, A. Whittaker, J. Minns, K. J. Zimmer, P. S. M. Fonseca, M. F. Lima, and D. C. Oren (2007). An avifaunal inventory of the CVRD Serra dos Carajás project, Pará, Brazil. Cotinga 27:15–30. Close ).

Chapman's Swift (Chaetura chapmani)

Forages in mixed flocks with C. cinereiventris, C. spinicaudus and C. brachyura, as well as Streptoprocne zonaris (5 Bates, J. M., T. A. Parker, A. P. Capparella, and T. J. Davis (1992). Observations on the campo, cerrado and forest avifaunas of eastern Dpto. Santa Cruz, Bolivia, including 21 species new to the country. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 112(2):86–98. Close ) and Aeronautes montivagus (4 Downing, C. (2005). New distributional information for some Colombian birds, with a new species for South America. Cotinga. 24: 13–15. Close ). Occurs in monospecific flocks in upper Rio Urucu, Amazonas, Brazil. Feeds close to ground in dense low cloud conditions.

Chapman's Swift (Chaetura chapmani)

Main call is a long series of strident single notes, often accelerating and decelerating in pace “tseep..tseep..tseep..tseep.tseep.tseep..tseep..tseep...tseep...tseep...”, with seldom any twittering trills. Also repeated shorter “tsip” calls. Races viridipennis and chapmani are very similar vocally.

Chapman's Swift (Chaetura chapmani)

Nominate race breeds in wet season, late spring to early autumn; in Trinidad, nest in use early May to early Jun; viridipennis apparently breeds in austral summer. Known from one nest in Trinidad, 20 cm below top of cement manhole, in brushy savanna, with nests of C. brachyura; half-cup nest 69 mm wide, 24 mm deep and 59 mm front to back. Speculated that it might also breed in tree hollows (6 Hilty, S. L. (2003). Birds of Venezuela. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Clutch two, possibly three, eggs; incubation 17–18 days; young when less than 48 hours old flesh-pink, with traces of grey on bill and claws, lacking natal down, with whitish egg-tooth on tip of upper mandible, weight 1·5 g.

Chapman's Swift (Chaetura chapmani)

Not globally threatened. One of rarer South American swifts with few specimens or observations over an apparently wide distribution; precise limits of breeding range not well known. Race viridipennis recently found much further NE than expected in S Pará (3 Pacheco, J. F., G. M. Kirwan, A. Aleixo, B. M. Whitney, A. Whittaker, J. Minns, K. J. Zimmer, P. S. M. Fonseca, M. F. Lima, and D. C. Oren (2007). An avifaunal inventory of the CVRD Serra dos Carajás project, Pará, Brazil. Cotinga 27:15–30. Close ). However, recorded in 1960s with relative frequency in Val and Arima Valley, Trinidad. Commonly recorded along upper Rio Urucu, Amazonas, Brazil.