Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift
Panyptila cayennensis
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- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderApodiformes (Swifts and Hummingbirds)
- FamilyApodidae (Swifts)
- GenusPanyptila (Swallow-tailed Swifts)
- SpeciesPanyptila cayennensis (Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift)
About the Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift
The lesser swallow-tailed swift or Cayenne swift (Panyptila cayennensis) is a species of bird in subfamily Apodinae of the swift family Apodidae. It is found from southern Mexico through Central America; in every mainland South America country except Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay; and on Trinidad.
The lesser swallow-tailed swift was formally described in 1789 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded edition of Carl Linnaeus's Systema Naturae. He placed it with all the swallows and swifts in the genus Hirundo and coined the binomial name Hirundo cayennensis. Gmelin based his description on the "Martinet à collier blanc" that had been described in 1779 by the French polymath Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon from a specimen collected in Cayenne, French Guiana. A hand-colored illustration of the bird was also published. The lesser swallow-tailed swift is now placed with the great swallow-tailed swift in the genus Panyptila that was introduced in 1847 by the German ornithologist Jean Cabanis. The genus name combines the Ancient Greek panu meaning "very" or "exceedingly" with ptilon meaning "wing". The specific... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift in Anavilhanas National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Anavilhanas National Park
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Chaetura brachyura
Fork-tailed Palm-Swift
Tachornis squamata
Gray-rumped Swift
Chaetura cinereiventris
Band-rumped Swift
Chaetura spinicaudus
Chapman's Swift
Chaetura chapmani
Pale-rumped Swift
Chaetura egregia
Streak-throated Hermit
Phaethornis rupurumii
Reddish Hermit
Phaethornis ruber
Fork-tailed Woodnymph
Thalurania furcata
Glittering-throated Emerald
Chionomesa fimbriata
Fiery Topaz
Topaza pyra
White-necked Jacobin
Florisuga mellivora
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift in Anavilhanas National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift sighting in Anavilhanas National Park, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift in Anavilhanas National Park?
June has the highest sighting rate for Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift in Anavilhanas National Park in our monthly data.