Silhouette: Aviceda (vectorized by T. Michael Keesey) · PhyloPic

Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift

Panyptila cayennensis

Silhouette: Aviceda (vectorized by T. Michael Keesey) · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderApodiformes (Swifts and Hummingbirds)
FamilyApodidae (Swifts)
GenusPanyptila (Swallow-tailed Swifts)
SpeciesPanyptila cayennensis (Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

4 Verified sightings at Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve From 2019 to 2026

4,723 Verified sightings across all 50 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

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 →

Closest Relatives at Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

Chaetura vauxi

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Streptoprocne zonaris

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Streptoprocne rutila

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Cypseloides niger

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Cypseloides cryptus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Chaetura cinereiventris

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Chaetura pelagica

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Colibri cyanotus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Lampornis calolaemus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Eupherusa eximia

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Campylopterus hemileucurus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Endemic

Microchera cupreiceps

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~20%
2	Tikal National Park	🇬🇹 Guatemala	~10%
3	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
4	Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary	🇧🇿 Belize	~10%
5	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
6	Serra dos Órgãos National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~10%
7	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
8	Brownsberg Nature Park	🇸🇷 Suriname	~10%
9	Darién National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
10	San Lorenzo Protected Forest	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
11	Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
12	Braulio Carrillo National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
13	Tayrona National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
14	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
15	Yasuní National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
16	Cahuita National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
17	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
18	Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
19	Henri Pittier National Park	🇻🇪 Venezuela	<5%
20	Canaima National Park	🇻🇪 Venezuela	<5%
21	Parque Natural Metropolitano	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
22	Machalilla National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
23	Marino Ballena National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
24	Madidi National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	<5%
25	Anavilhanas National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
26	Amacayacu National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
27	Chagres National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
28	Calakmul Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
29	Tambopata National Reserve	🇵🇪 Peru	<5%
30	Cordillera Azul National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	<5%
31	Manu National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	<5%
32	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
33	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
34	Chirripó National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
35	Piedras Blancas National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
36	Arenal Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
37	Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
38	Tenorio Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
39	Farallones de Cali National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
40	El Triunfo	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
41	Biotopo Cerro Cahuí	🇬🇹 Guatemala	Insufficient data
42	Caroni Swamp	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	Insufficient data
43	Volcán Barú National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
44	Lago de Yojoa	🇭🇳 Honduras	Insufficient data
45	Rincón de la Vieja National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
46	Masaya Volcano National Park	🇳🇮 Nicaragua	Insufficient data
47	Sierra de la Macarena National Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data
48	Tijuca National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	Insufficient data
49	Los Nevados National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data
50	Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data

← Back to Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift

About the Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift

Recent sightings of Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift in Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

Closest Relatives at Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

Vaux's Swift

White-collared Swift

Chestnut-collared Swift

Black Swift

White-chinned Swift

Gray-rumped Swift

Chimney Swift

Lesser Violetear

Purple-throated Mountain-gem

Stripe-tailed Hummingbird

Violet Sabrewing

Coppery-headed Emerald

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found