Overview
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.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
Breeds from eastern Bolivia southward to northern Argentina and eastward to east-central Brazil; partially migratory, wintering north to Panama, northern Colombia, northern Venezuela, and Suriname.
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Sick's swift
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
