Medium-sized, dark swift. Infrequently seen, patchily distributed, and extremely difficult to identify. Note short, square tail, and overall dark gray color. Limited whitish frosting on chin and lores is nearly impossible to see in the field, and even difficult to confidently assess from photos. Often shows some whitish scaling around the vent. Spot-fronted Swift is very similar but, with a good view, shows larger white spots on the face and behind the eye. However, juvenile plumage of both species is poorly known and causes even more confusion. White-chinned occurs from Belize south to Peru and east to the Guianas, and can be found at a wide elevation range, from 3,000 m all the way down to the lowlands. Often found in mixed flocks with other swifts, including White-collared, Chestnut-collared, and Spot-fronted.