From Opus

Photo by Glen Tepke
Santa Cruz, California, USA, 16 July 2006

Chaetura vauxi

[edit] Identification

10.7 to 11.2 cm. Dusky black head, upperparts and wings are dusky black, grey brown underparts, rump and tail coverts, paler grey throat, becoming whitish in northern birds. The sexes are similar, but juveniles have dusky bases to the throat feathers.

[edit] Distribution

Southern Alaska to central California, Mexico, Panama and northern Venezuela.

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] Habitat

Mountains and foothills, mainly above 700 m, forests and towns.

[edit] Behaviour

The cup shaped nest is built from twigs and saliva and placed in a tree hole or cliff crevice. 3 white eggs are laid.

The diet includes flying insects, such as beetles, wasps, termites and flying ants.

[edit] External Links