Birds
Great Dusky Swift
Cypseloides senex
Diving straight through the roaring curtain of a waterfall, a great dusky swift reaches a nest ledge hidden behind the falling water, one of the most extreme nesting commutes of any bird in the Americas.
Overview
The great dusky swift, Cypseloides senex, is a Least Concern bird found across forested mountain regions of South America near suitable waterfalls. Its habit of nesting directly behind falling water, requiring every arrival and departure to pass straight through the waterfall itself, makes it one of the most remarkable nesting specialists found anywhere among birds.
A commute through falling water
Every trip to and from the nest requires the great dusky swift to fly directly through a waterfall’s spray and current, a dangerous-seeming routine that nonetheless provides a level of protection from predators that few other nesting strategies can match.
Status
Least Concern, remaining present across suitable waterfall nesting habitat throughout forested mountain regions of South America.
Great Dusky Swift: common questions
Why does the great dusky swift nest behind waterfalls?
Nesting on rock ledges hidden directly behind falling water provides exceptional protection from predators, since few animals are willing or able to fly or climb through a waterfall to reach the nest site.
How does the great dusky swift reach its nest?
It flies directly through the spray and falling water of the waterfall itself, an extreme approach to nest access shared by very few other bird species.
What does the great dusky swift eat?
It is an insectivore, catching flying insects entirely on the wing during continuous flight.
Where is the great dusky swift found?
It ranges across forested mountain regions of South America, specifically near waterfalls suitable for nesting.