Vaux's Swift (Chaetura vauxi) [XC256663]
by Elias Aristides Elias from nr Boa Vista, La Concordia, Chiapas, Mexico (flight call)
Vaux's Swift (Chaetura vauxi) [XC304174]
by Elias Aristides Elias from Near Jardin Botanico S of Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico (call)
Subspecies
Chaetura andrei (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) has been split into Southern Swift (Chaetura meridionalis) with the remainder lumped with Vaux's Swift (Chaetura vauxi) (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) following SACC (2005).
Previously considered conspecific with Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) and Chapman's Swift (Chaetura chapmani). Subspecies richmondi (including ochropygia) and gaumeri previously considered distinct species. A recent study considers that subspecies aphanes is synonymous with subspecies andrei of Ashy-tailed Swift (Chaetura andrei), latter taking priority, or that there may be two subspecies of Vaux's Swift (Chaetura vauxi) in northern Venezuela, aphanes in western coastal range and andrei in eastern coastal range and southern and eastern lowlands. The same study also suggests that aphanes is identical to richmondi, but these views not universally accepted.
The following 8 subspecies are recognised:
vauxi (Townsend, 1839) - Western North America from British Columbia to southern California. Winters in Mexico and Guatemala.
tamaulipensis Sutton, 1941 - Eastern Mexico.
gaumeri Lawrence, 1882 - Yucatán Peninsula and Cozumel I.
richmondi Ridgway, 1910 - Southern Mexico to Costa Rica and western Panama (Chiriquí).
ochropygia Aldrich, 1937 - Eastern Panama.
aphanes Wetmore & Phelps Jr, 1956 - Northern Venezuela. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Ashy-tailed Swift (Chaetura andrei).
warneri Phillips, AR, 1966 - Western Mexico.
andrei von Berlepsch & Hartert, 1902 - Eastern Venezuela. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Ashy-tailed Swift (Chaetura andrei).
BirdLife International Species Factsheet