White-collared Swift
White-collared Swift
Streptoprocne zonaris
At a Glance
This big swift is common and widespread in the American tropics, where it is often seen in large, noisy flocks over any kind of terrain. Stray individuals have wandered north of the Mexican border on several occasions, appearing at various points along the Gulf Coast and at scattered other locations from California to Michigan and Ontario.
All bird guide text and rangemaps adapted from Lives of North American Birds by Kenn Kaufman© 1996, used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Category
Swallow-like Birds
IUCN Status
Least Concern
Habitat
Coasts and Shorelines, Fields, Meadows, and Grasslands, Shrublands, Savannas, and Thickets
Behavior
Flap/Glide
Range & Identification
Description
9 1/2" (22 cm). A very large swift with a fairly long, forked tail. Black all over with a distinct white collar, duller on immatures.
Size
About the size of a Robin
Wing Shape
Long, Narrow, Pointed, Tapered
Tail Shape
Forked, Notched
Songs and Calls
Twittering, scratchy “chee, chee, chee”.
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