Lesser Antillean Swift (Chaetura martinica)
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Lesser Antillean Swift

Chaetura martinica (Hermann, 1783)

10–11 cmLength12 gWeight

The Lesser Antillean swift (Chaetura martinica) is a species a species of bird in subfamily Apodinae of the swift family Apodidae.

Busiest months: February–March · Most records: Dominica, Guadeloupe, St. Lucia

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: February–March · Most records: Dominica, Guadeloupe, St. Lucia

Lesser Antillean Swift has been recorded at 50 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 5 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Morne Diablotin NP – Syndicate Nature TrailDominica304 records
  2. Cascade aux EcrevissesGuadeloupe222 records
  3. CorossolGuadeloupe175 records
More places
  1. Des Cartiers Rainforest TrailSt. Lucia123 records
  2. Syndicate TrailDominica100 records
  3. St. Vincent Parrot Preserve – Vermont trailSt. Vincent & Grenadines70 records
  4. Morne Diablotin NP – Morne Diablotin trailDominica58 records
  5. Quilesse Forest ReserveSt. Lucia54 records
  6. Jardin de BalataMartinique37 records
  7. Bouton JunctionSt. Lucia32 records

Countries and regions with the most records

DominicaGuadeloupeSt. LuciaSt. Vincent & GrenadinesMartinique

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The Lesser Antillean swift (Chaetura martinica) is a species a species of bird in subfamily Apodinae of the swift family Apodidae. It is found on Dominica, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, and possibly Nevis.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Lesser Antillean Swift?

The Lesser Antillean Swift is about 10–11 cm long and weighs around 12 g.

Where does the Lesser Antillean Swift live?

Its breeding range: North America: Lesser Antilles. It is most often recorded in Dominica, Guadeloupe and St. Lucia.

When is the best time to see the Lesser Antillean Swift?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in February and March (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Lesser Antillean Swift endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Lesser Antillean Swift as Least Concern.

What does the Lesser Antillean Swift eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Lesser Antillean Swift in?

It belongs to the family Swifts (Apodidae), order Apodiformes.

At a glance

Length
10–11 cm
Weight
12 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Feeds in the air
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
108 mm
Tail
35 mm
Bill
5 mm
Tarsus
9 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

North America: Lesser Antilles

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Swifts Apodidae
Genus
Chaetura

Other birds in the genus Chaetura

Grey-rumped SwiftGrey-rumped SwiftChaetura cinereiventrisBand-rumped SwiftBand-rumped SwiftChaetura spinicaudusCosta Rican SwiftCosta Rican SwiftChaetura fumosaPale-rumped SwiftPale-rumped SwiftChaetura egregiaChimney SwiftChimney SwiftChaetura pelagicaVaux's SwiftVaux's SwiftChaetura vauxiChapman's SwiftChapman's SwiftChaetura chapmaniAshy-tailed SwiftAshy-tailed SwiftChaetura andreiSick's SwiftSick's SwiftChaetura meridionalisShort-tailed SwiftShort-tailed SwiftChaetura brachyura
Lesser Antillean Swift

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