Rothschild's swift
{{short description|Species of bird}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2022}}
{{speciesbox
| name = Rothschild's swift
| image =
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| genus = Cypseloides
| species = rothschildi
| authority = Zimmer, 1945
| synonyms =
| range_map = Cypseloides rothschildi map.svg
}}
Rothschild's swift (Cypseloides rothschildi) is a Near Threatened species of bird in subfamily Cypseloidinae of the swift family Apodidae.{{cite web |url=https://www.worldbirdnames.org/new/bow/swifts/ |title=Owlet-nightjars, treeswifts, swifts |website=IOC World Bird List |version =v 12.2 |editor-last1=Gill |editor-first1= F. |editor-last2=Donsker|editor-first2=D.|editor-last3=Rasmussen |editor-first3=P. |date=August 2022 |access-date=August 9, 2022 }}HBW and BirdLife International (2021) Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world. Version 6. Available at: http://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/Species/Taxonomy/HBW-BirdLife_Checklist_v6_Dec21.zip retrieved August 7, 2022 It is found in Argentina and Bolivia.Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, A. Jaramillo, D. F. Lane, J. F. Pacheco, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 24 July 2022. Species Lists of Birds for South American Countries and Territories. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCCountryLists.htm retrieved July 24, 2022
Taxonomy and systematics
Rothschild's swift, white-chested swift, (Cypseloides lemosi), American black swift (C. niger), and sooty swift (C. fumigatus) form a superspecies. Some authors have treated Rothschild's and sooty swifts as conspecific.Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, A. Jaramillo, D. F. Lane, J. F. Pacheco, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 24 July 2022. A classification of the bird species of South America. American Ornithological Society. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm retrieved July 24, 2022 Rothschild's swift is monotypic.
Description
Rothschild's swift is about {{convert|15|cm|in|abbr=on}} long. It has long, broad wings and a short squarish tail. Its plumage is a uniform medium brown.Chantler, P., P. F. D. Boesman, and C. J. Sharpe (2020). Rothschild's Swift (Cypseloides rothschildi), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.rotswi1.01 retrieved October 1, 2022
Distribution and habitat
Rothschild's swift is found from Bolivia's Santa Cruz Department south into northwestern Argentina as far as Córdoba Province. There are no records in Peru despite its being included there in some taxonomic lists. The species' habitat requirements are not well known. Most records have been over evergreen montane forest at elevations between {{convert|500|and|2000|m|ft|sigfig=2|abbr=on}}.
Behavior
=Migration=
=Feeding=
=Breeding=
Nothing is known about Rothschild's swift's breeding phenology.
{{birdsong|url=https://xeno-canto.org/species/Cypseloides-rothschildi |species=Rothschild's swift}}
=Vocalization=
As of late 2022, xeno-canto had a single recording of a Rothschild's swift vocalization, and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Macaulay Library had none. It reportedly makes a "short 'pip' or 'peep'" in flight.
Status
The IUCN has assessed Rothschild's swift as Near Threatened. It has a small range and an estimated population of 6000 to 15,000 mature individuals; the latter is believed to be stable. Much of the Yungas forest where it lives has been logged or converted to agriculture. It does occur in some protected areas.