Sick's Swift

It breeds in south-eastern Brazil and adjacent parts of Argentina, Paraguay and Bolivia, but is believed to spend the Austral winter further north in the Amazon basin, northern South America and Panama. Its exact wintering range is, however, poorly known due to the highly complex matter of field identification of a number of very similar Chaetura swifts found in central and northern South America. In addition to the previously mentioned countries, there are records from Colombia, Venezuela, Suriname and French Guiana. It is generally common, but confirmed records outside its breeding range (where it is the only large Chaetura swift, and therefore relatively easy to identify) are infrequent. Its preferred habitat is lowland evergreen forest edge, secondary forest, open woodland and second-growth scrub but it can be seen flying over virtually any habitat during its annual migration.

The population size for the Sick's swift has not been estimated but it is said to be common within its breeding range, which covers over 5,000,000 km (1,900,000 sq mi), and less common in its wintering range. There is no evidence that the population is declining nor are there any particular threats to this bird apparent, so the IUCN has listed this species as being of "Least Concern".