List of North American birds (Apodiformes)

Order: Apodiformes Family: Apodidae

The swifts are small aerial birds, spending the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long swept-back wings that resemble a crescent or a boomerang.

  • Alpine Swift, Tachymarptis melba (A)
  • Antillean Palm-Swift, Tachornis phoenicobia
  • Band-rumped Swift, Chaetura spinicaudus
  • Black Swift, Cypseloides niger
  • Chapman's Swift, Chaetura chapmani (A)
  • Chestnut-collared Swift, Streptoprocne rutila
  • Chimney Swift, Chaetura pelagica
  • Common Swift, Apus apus (A)
  • Costa Rican Swift, Chaetura fumosa
  • Fork-tailed Palm Swift, Tachornis squamata
  • Fork-tailed Swift, Apus pacificus (A)
  • Gray-rumped Swift, Chaetura cinereiventris
  • Great Swallow-tailed Swift, Panyptila sanctihieronymi
  • Lesser Antillean Swift, Chaetura martinica
  • Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift, Panyptila cayennensis
  • Short-tailed Swift, Chaetura brachyura
  • Sick's Swift, Chaetura meridionalis (A)
  • Spot-fronted Swift, Cypseloides cherriei
  • Vaux's Swift, Chaetura vauxi
  • White-chinned Swift, Cypseloides cryptus
  • White-collared Swift, Streptoprocne zonaris
  • White-fronted Swift, Cypseloides storeri
  • White-naped Swift, Streptoprocne semicollaris
  • White-throated Needletail Hirundapus caudacutus (A)
  • White-throated Swift, Aeronautes saxatalis

Hummingbirds

Order: Apodiformes Family: Trochilidae

Hummingbirds are small birds capable of hovering in mid-air due to the rapid flapping of their wings. They are the only birds that can fly backwards.