Sick's swift facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sick's swift |
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| at Bertioga, São Paulo State, Brazil | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Chaetura
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| Species: |
meridionalis
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The Sick's swift (Chaetura meridionalis) is a type of swift bird. It belongs to the Apodidae family. This bird was once thought to be the same species as the smaller ashy-tailed swift. However, a study in 1997 showed that Sick's swift is actually more closely related to the chimney swift. Its English name honors Helmut Sick, a German bird expert who studied birds in South America. This swift is a migratory bird. It breeds in central South America and flies north to spend the winter. The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) says it is a species of "Least Concern". This means it is not currently in danger.
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How Scientists Name Them
The Sick's swift was first officially named and described in 1907. This was done by an Austrian bird expert named Carl Eduard Hellmayr. He studied birds that were found in the Santiago del Estero Province in northern Argentina.
Hellmayr first thought it was a type of subspecies of the ashy-tailed swift. He gave it the three-part scientific name Chaetura andrei meridionalis. The word "meridionalis" comes from Latin and means "southern."
Later, a study by bird expert Manuel Marín showed that Sick's swift is different from the ashy-tailed swift. Because of this, it is now considered its own separate species. The English name remembers Helmut Sick. He was a German bird expert who spent a lot of time studying birds in Brazil.
What Does It Look Like?
The Sick's swift has dark smoky brown feathers on its upper body. Its tail is a grey color, like ash. The tail feathers have dark shafts and pointy spines that stick out.
Its throat is grey. The lower part of its belly is dark brown. Both its beak and legs are black.
Where Does It Live?
Sick's swifts breed in southeastern Brazil. They also breed in nearby parts of Argentina, Paraguay, and Bolivia. When winter comes in the Southern Hemisphere, they are believed to fly north. They spend this time in the Amazon basin, northern South America, and Panama.
It is hard to know exactly where they spend the winter. This is because many similar Chaetura swifts live in central and northern South America. It is very difficult to tell them apart in the wild. Besides the countries mentioned, these birds have also been seen in Colombia, Venezuela, Suriname, and French Guiana.
This swift is generally common. However, it is not often seen outside its breeding areas. In its breeding range, it is the only large Chaetura swift. This makes it easier to identify there. It likes to live at the edge of lowland evergreen forests. It also lives in secondary forests, open woodlands, and areas with new plant growth. During its yearly migration, it can be seen flying over almost any type of land.
How Sick's Swifts Live
Building Nests and Raising Young
Sick's swifts build their nests in places like chimneys or hollow trees. Their nest is an open cup shape. It is built in a similar way to the nest of a chimney swift.
The nest is made almost entirely from one type of dry leaf stalk. These stalks are about 5 centimeters long. The nest is not very dense and you can see through it. The birds use sticky saliva to attach the nest to its spot. They also use a little saliva on the front of the nest. The back of the nest is usually the side of the tree or chimney.
Sick's swifts usually breed when the dry season ends and the rainy season begins. They will reuse the same nest until it falls apart. When that happens, they build a new nest in the same spot. A female swift usually lays 3 to 5 eggs. The female sits on the eggs to keep them warm. Both parents help feed the young birds.
What Do They Eat?
Sick's swifts eat flying insects. They catch their food while flying. In the morning or evening, they often fly low over roads or open areas. In the middle of the day, they fly high above the forest. They often fly with other swifts.
Is It Safe?
We don't have an exact number for how many Sick's swifts there are. But they are common in their breeding areas. Their breeding range covers a very large area, more than 5,000,000 square kilometers. They are less common in the places where they spend the winter.
There is no sign that the number of these birds is going down. Also, there are no clear threats to this bird. Because of this, the IUCN has listed the Sick's swift as a species of "Least Concern". This means they are not considered to be in danger.
