White-chested Swift
Cypseloides lemosi
Conservation status data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Aves
Order
Apodiformes
Family
Apodidae
Genus
Cypseloides
White-chested Swift belongs to the family Apodidae, order Apodiformes, within the Aves class.
Species Profile
Species profile data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
The White-chested Swift faces severe threats primarily due to its extremely limited range in the Colombian Andes and ongoing habitat destruction from deforestation and agricultural expansion. With only a few known locations and a very small population size, the species is highly vulnerable to local extinctions from human activities and climate change impacts on montane cloud forest ecosystems.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Inhabits montane cloud forests and humid subtropical forests in the Colombian Andes, typically at elevations between 1,500-2,500 meters. The species is associated with steep forested valleys and areas with persistent cloud cover that provide the humid conditions necessary for its aerial insectivorous lifestyle.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
The White-chested Swift faces severe threats primarily due to its extremely limited range in the Colombian Andes and ongoing habitat destruction from deforestation and agricultural expansion. With only a few known locations and a very small population size, the species is highly vulnerable to local extinctions from human activities and climate change impacts on montane cloud forest ecosystems.
Agricultural expansion and land conversion
Climate change impacts on cloud forest ecosystems
Extremely small population size
Habitat loss from deforestation
Very restricted geographic range
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). White-chested Swift (Cypseloides lemosi). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/white-chested-swift