The spin-tailed swift (_Chaetura spinicauda_), also known as gray-rumped swift, band-rumped swift or Mexican swift is a small bird found in Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama.
These birds are 10.2–11.4 cm long, with a 17.8 cm wingspan. The sexes look alike, with gray-brown upperparts, a grayish face and throat and a white belly, with narrow dusky barring and the distinctive spiky tips to their tail feathers.
Habitat
The spin-tailed swift lives in mountainous regions, where it can frequently be seen.
Diet
The spin-tailed swift is insectivorous, feeding while in flight. It mainly feeds on wasps and bees, as well as beetles, moths and flying termites.
Breeding
The spin-tailed swift nests between January and August. The nests are built with moss, feathers, saliva, and other types of plant matter. They are constructed using a chimney shaped entrance with an enlarged nesting area near the end, and have a narrow tunnel-shaped entrance lined with mud. The nest itself is cup shaped and lined with soft material. The female lays a clutch of 3-4 white eggs, and the incubation period is 21-23 days. Both the male and the female take turns incubating the eggs and feeding the chicks.
Status
The spin-tailed swift has been classified as a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.