- Streptoprocne zonaris
Identification
With 22cm a large Swift
- Blackish plumage
- Diagnostic white collar
- Broad wings
- Shallowly forked tail
- Sturdy body
Subspecies differ mostly in plumage (some are paler) and extend of the white collar.
Similar to Biscutate Swift (broken white collar) and White-naped Swift (only white nape).
Distribution
Found in Central America and South America. Found in the Andes from Bolivia to Venezuela, also from Mexico to Panama and in the lowlands of S Brazil and Paraguay. Vagrant in the USA.
Locally common or abundant and not globally threatened. Subspecies pallidifrons quite rare.
Taxonomy
Nine subspecies recognized:
- S.z. zonaris in S Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay
- S.z. kuenzeli in NW Argentina and Bolivia
- S.z. altissima in Colombia and Ecuador (high elevations)
- S.z. subtropicalis S Venezuela, Colombia and Peru (middle elevations)
- S.z. albicincta patchily in Venezuela, Guyana and possibly in Suriname and French Guiana
- S.z. minor in N Venezuela
- S.z. pallidifrons on Greater Antilles and Lesser Antilles
- S.z. bouchellii in Central America (Panama north to Costa Rica)
- S.z. mexicana from Belize to S Mexico
Habitat
Wide range of different habitats but mostly found in montane or submontane areas. Also found in lowlands, eg in Ecuador from 300m up to 4200m! Prefers evergreen forest or scrub and is most scarce over arid regions.
Behaviour
Feeds on various insects, taken in flight. Like other Swifts highly gregarious and often in mixed flocks with other species.
Breeding season differs throughout range and seems to be linked with rainfall. Nests in caves or behind waterfalls, building a disc-shaped pad with vegetable matter hold together with mud. Sometimes no nest is build at all. Lays two eggs.
Partly migratory, variying through range. Some populations are found in the lowlands outside breeding season.
