Sick's Swift
Sick's SwiftSick's SwiftSick's Swift

Sick's Swift

Chaetura meridionalis

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
20–30% · Possible
overall probability at Itatiaia National Park
310 Verified records at Itatiaia National Park
September Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

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. The IUCN has listed it as being of "Least Concern". Wikipedia →

20–30% of wildlife watchers report a Sick's Swift sighting in Itatiaia National Park, based on 310 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Itatiaia National Park

🐦 No photo available
LC

Gray-rumped Swift

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chaetura cinereiventris

<5% · Rare
White-collared Swift
LC

White-collared Swift

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Streptoprocne zonaris

20–30% · Possible
Biscutate Swift
LC

Biscutate Swift

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Streptoprocne biscutata

<5% · Rare
Sooty Swift
LC

Sooty Swift

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cypseloides fumigatus

<5% · Rare
Brazilian Ruby
LC

Brazilian Ruby

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Clytolaema rubricauda

60–70% · Likely
Violet-capped Woodnymph
LC

Violet-capped Woodnymph

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thalurania glaucopis

50–60% · Likely
Scale-throated Hermit
LC

Scale-throated Hermit

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Phaethornis eurynome

40–50% · Likely
White-throated Hummingbird
LC

White-throated Hummingbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Leucochloris albicollis

40–50% · Likely
Black Jacobin
LC

Black Jacobin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Florisuga fusca

30–40% · Possible
Frilled Coquette
LC

Frilled Coquette

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lophornis magnificus

20–30% · Possible
Green-crowned Plovercrest
LC

Green-crowned Plovercrest

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Stephanoxis lalandi

20–30% · Possible
Versicolored Emerald
LC

Versicolored Emerald

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chrysuronia versicolor

10–20% · With luck

📅 Monthly Probability

10–20
Jan
<5
Feb
5–10
Mar
10–20
Apr
5–10
May
<5
Jun
<5
Jul
10–20
Aug
40–50
Sep
30–40
Oct
30–40
Nov
10–20
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Serra dos Órgãos National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
20–30%
2 Itatiaia National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
20–30%
3 Emas National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
10–20%
4 Tijuca National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
10–20%
5 Iguazú National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
10–20%
6 Iguaçu National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
10–20%
7 Serra da Canastra National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
10–20%
8 El Impenetrable National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
5–10%
9 Chapada Diamantina National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
10 Chapada dos Guimarães National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
11 Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
12 Amboró National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
Insufficient data
13 Iberá National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Sick's Swift in Itatiaia National Park?

About 22% of wildlife watchers report a Sick's Swift sighting in Itatiaia National Park, based on 310 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Sick's Swift in Itatiaia National Park?

September has the highest sighting rate for Sick's Swift in Itatiaia National Park in our monthly data.

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