Chaetura vauxi 4½″ (11 cm). A small, dark, swallow-like bird with no apparent tail (unless spread); "like a cigar with wings." It appears to beat its wings alternately (actually an illusion), unlike the skimming of swallows. It may glide between spurts, the wings bowed in a crescent. The twinkling flight style marks it as a swift; the range, small size, and dingy underparts as this species.
Voice: Loud, rapid, ticking or chippering notes.
Range: Western N. America to Venezuela. Map .
Habitat: Open sky over woodlands, lakes, and rivers.
