Birds of the Botanic Gardens
Black Swift: Cypseloides niger; Local name: Swallow, Jiwondel, Zozyo Laplis (Rain Bird);
Family: Apodidae (Swifts)
Family: Apodidae (Swifts)
Description: “Bird of the Clouds;” medium-sized, aerial, black bird, 15-18 cm long (5.5-7 in), largest Swift in the West Indies and North America; bird is sooty-black on the upperparts with somewhat lighter black underparts; has short, dark grey, slightly hooked bill, light grey forehead and black eyes; wings long, slender and curved, black with darker shoulders; tail long and slightly forked; forages exclusively in the air, singly or in small flocks; in the Gardens, is usually seen in rainy season flying fast and darting far up in the sky, foraging on small, flying insects. Local folklore has it that large flocks of these Swallows overhead signal approaching rain, hence the local name Rain Bird.
References:
Arlington James, et al. Dominica’s Birds. Forestry, Wildlife and Parks Division, Ministry of Agriculture and the Environment, Dominica, 2005
James Bond. Birds of the West Indies. Collins, St James Place, London, 4th Edition, 1979
Herbert Raffaele, et al. Birds of the West Indies. Princeton Field Guides, Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, 2003.
Mitchell Waite. Field Guide to the Birds of North America. whatbird.com. May 2008
References:
Arlington James, et al. Dominica’s Birds. Forestry, Wildlife and Parks Division, Ministry of Agriculture and the Environment, Dominica, 2005
James Bond. Birds of the West Indies. Collins, St James Place, London, 4th Edition, 1979
Herbert Raffaele, et al. Birds of the West Indies. Princeton Field Guides, Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, 2003.
Mitchell Waite. Field Guide to the Birds of North America. whatbird.com. May 2008
