The Vaux’s Swift is an extremely rapid flyer as the name suggests. It catches and eats insects while in flight. It nests on cliffs and in chimneys.
It lives from southern Alaska, down the west coast of the United States and throughout Mexico and Central America. The best place that I have found to get reliable up close views of this bird are at the visitors center, Dry Falls, Grant County, Washington State, USA.
Classification:
Order:
Family: Apodidae
Genus: Chaetura
Species: C. vauxi
Photos:
vauxs swift
Photo courtesy of kiwifoto.com. Check out more of his photos at www.kiwifoto.com/.
Ed. Note: I’ve tried to get photos of these birds on the wing and have found it impossible. The patience and skill necessary to get this photos is impressive to me.
Vauxs Swifts
"Every year in late August this chimney in NW Portland is brimming with thousands of Vauxs Swifts during a brief stop along their southerly migratory path. They’re out exploring the city for the greater part of the day. Every night though, when the light gets just low enough, each and every one of the birds tornadoes into the chimney, spinning about each other until the last one crams itself inside."
Photo courtesy of Marshall Ryan
