Pygmy Palm Swift
Tachornis furcata
A tiny dark swift with a long, slender, pointed tail. Restricted to the Maracaibo basin of Venezuela, barely slipping over the border into Colombia in Norte de Santander. In flight note the dark body with pale gray throat and belly. Similar to Fork-tailed Palm-Swift, but Pygmy Swift is much smaller and has darker underparts. Usually in groups flying in circles at low levels close to grasslands, open areas, towns, always near palm trees.
Identification
The pygmy palm swift is about 10 cm (3.9 in) long. It has long, thin, pointed wings and a long deeply forked tail. The sexes are alike. The nominate subspecies has entirely brown upperparts. Its whitish throat and upper belly are separated by a brown band, and the lower belly and undertail coverts are brown. Subspecies T. f. nigrodorsalis has blacker upperparts than the nominate and its throat is whiter.
Taxonomy
The pygmy palm swift was at times placed in the monotypic genus Micropanyptila. It was also previously lumped as a subspecies of what is now the fork-tailed palm swift (Tachornis squamata) in genus Reinarda. It has two subspecies, the nominate T. f. furcata and T. f. nigrodorsalis.
- Scientific name
- Tachornis furcata
- Authority
- (Sutton, 1928)
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Family
- Apodidae
- Genus
- Tachornis
Range and habitat
The nominate subspecies of pygmy palm swift is found in northeastern Colombia's Norte de Santander Department and the adjoining southern part of Venezuela's Maracaibo Basin. T. f. nigrodorsalis is found in the western part of the Maracaibo Basin. The species primarily inhabits lowland tropical evergreen forest, secondary forest, and regrowing scrublands. It is also found in cultivated and other open areas as long as they contain palm trees.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
Greater Ani
Crotophaga major
Anis are bizarre black cuckoos with long floppy tails and unique, very deep and broad-sided bills. Greater is the largest ani, distinctive with its staring yellow eye and glossy blue, green, and purple sheen on the wings and tail. Always associated with water; especially apt to be found low in the forest edge around slow-moving rivers and lakes. Seen in family groups. Widespread in lowlands from Panama to Argentina.
Tres Marias Hummingbird
Cynanthus lawrencei
Small hummingbird endemic to the Marías archipelago, located about 60 miles off the Pacific coast of central Mexico. Male is glittering green with and iridescent throat and bright red bill. Female is gray underneath with a dark mask bordered with white, and red at the base of her bill. The only other hummingbird on the islands is the very different Cinnamon Hummingbird. Inhabits scrub, woodland, and gardens on all four of the islands.
Black-capped Gnatcatcher
Polioptila nigriceps
Long-tailed little bird of dry forest and scrub in northwest Mexico. Found as singles, pairs, or family groups, usually foraging at low to middle levels. Breeding plumage male (March–August) has black cap, but other plumages very similar to Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, a common migrant throughout the range of Black-capped. These species best separated by call note: Black-capped has lower and rougher call than mew of Blue-gray. Also note Blue-gray often has a pinkish base to its smaller bill (gray on Black-capped), a more distinct white eyering (face a little more "open" on Black-capped), and a shorter, less strongly graduated tail.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.