Sick's Swift
Chaetura meridionalis
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- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderApodiformes (Swifts and Hummingbirds)
- FamilyApodidae (Swifts)
- GenusChaetura (Chaetura Swifts)
- SpeciesChaetura meridionalis (Sick's Swift)
About the Sick's Swift
Sick's swift (Chaetura meridionalis) is a species of swift in the family Apodidae. It was previously considered conspecific with the smaller ashy-tailed swift, but a study published in 1997 found that Sick's swift was closer to the chimney swift. The English name commemorates the German-born ornithologist Helmut Sick who studied South American birds. It is a migratory species that breeds in central South America and overwinters in northern South America. The IUCN has listed it as being of "Least Concern".
Sick's swift was formally described in 1907 by the Austrian ornithologist Carl Eduard Hellmayr from specimens collected in the Santiago del Estero Province of northern Argentina. Hellmayr considered it to be a subspecies of the ashy-tailed swift and coined the trinomial name Chaetura andrei meridionalis. The specific epithet is a Latin word meaning "southern". Based on a study by the ornithologist Manuel Marín, Sick's swift is now considered to be separate from the ashy-tailed swift and has been elevated to species status. The English name commemorates the German-born ornithologist, Helmut Sick, who studied Brazilian birdlife.
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Recent sightings of Sick's Swift in Iguaçu National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Iguaçu National Park
Gray-rumped Swift
Chaetura cinereiventris
Great Dusky Swift
Cypseloides senex
White-collared Swift
Streptoprocne zonaris
Sooty Swift
Cypseloides fumigatus
Biscutate Swift
Streptoprocne biscutata
Violet-capped Woodnymph
Thalurania glaucopis
Scale-throated Hermit
Phaethornis eurynome
Versicolored Emerald
Chrysuronia versicolor
Gilded Hummingbird
Hylocharis chrysura
Glittering-bellied Emerald
Chlorostilbon lucidus
Planalto Hermit
Phaethornis pretrei
Black-throated Mango
Anthracothorax nigricollis
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Serra dos Órgãos National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 2 | Itatiaia National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 3 | Emas National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 4 | Tijuca National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 5 | Iguazú National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 6 | Iguaçu National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 7 | Serra da Canastra National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 8 | El Impenetrable National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 9 | Chapada Diamantina National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 10 | Chapada dos Guimarães National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 11 | Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 12 | Amboró National Park | 🇧🇴 Bolivia | |
| 13 | Iberá National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Sick's Swift in Iguaçu National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Sick's Swift sighting in Iguaçu National Park, based on 412 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Sick's Swift in Iguaçu National Park?
October has the highest sighting rate for Sick's Swift in Iguaçu National Park in our monthly data.