About Panyptila cayennensis (J.F.Gmelin, 1789)
Scientific Classification and General Description
The lesser swallow-tailed swift (scientific name Panyptila cayennensis (J.F.Gmelin, 1789)) is a slender bird species.
Size and Weight
It measures 12.7–13 cm (5.0–5.1 in) long and weighs about 18 g (0.63 oz).
Wing and Tail Structure
It has long narrow wings and a long forked tail, which is usually held tightly closed.
Plumage Characteristics
Its plumage is mainly black, with a white throat and upper breast, and squarish white patches on the rear flanks.
Sexual Dimorphism
Males and females have similar appearance.
Distribution Range
This swift is distributed from Veracruz state in eastern Mexico, extending south through every country in Central America into Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador. It can also be found across the entire Amazon Basin, along a narrow strip on Brazil's southeastern coast, and on the island of Trinidad.
Habitat Preferences
It lives at the edges and clearings of lowland tropical evergreen forest and secondary forest, as well as in cultivated areas, river corridors, and human-populated areas.
Elevation Range
It can be found at elevations up to 1,500 m (4,900 ft) in Guatemala and Ecuador, though it typically occurs at lower elevations.
