on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long swept-back wings which resemble a crescent or boomerang. Black swift, Cypseloides niger White-collared swift, Streptoprocne zonaris (A) Chimney swift, Chaetura pelagica Vaux's swift, Chaetura vauxi Common swift, Apus apus (A) Pacific swift, Apus pacificus (A) House swift, Apus nipalensis White-throated swift, Aeronautes saxatalis Hummingbirds Order: ApodiformesFamily: 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. Mexican violetear, Colibri thalassinus (A) Rivoli's hummingbird, Eugenes fulgens (A) (Not yet assessed by the IUCN) Amethyst-throated mountain-gem, Lampornis amethystinus (A) Ruby-throated hummingbird, Archilochus colubris Black-chinned hummingbird, Archilochus alexandri Anna's hummingbird, Calypte anna Costa's hummingbird, Calypte costae (A) Calliope hummingbird, Selasphorus calliope Rufous hummingbird, Selasphorus rufus Broad-tailed hummingbird, Selasphorus platycercus (A) Broad-billed hummingbird, Cynanthus latirostris (A) Xantus's hummingbird, Basilinna xantusii (A) Rails, gallinules, and coots Order: GruiformesFamily: Rallidae Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coots, and gallinules. Typically, family members occupy dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps, and rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, making them difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs and long toes which are well adapted to soft uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and to be weak flyers. Clapper rail, Rallus crepitans (A) King rail, Rallus elegans Virginia rail, Rallus limicola Corn crake, Crex crex (A) Sora, Porzana carolina Common gallinule, Gallinula galeata Eurasian coot, Fulica atra (A) American coot, Fulica americana Purple gallinule, Porphyrio martinicus (A) Yellow rail, Coturnicops noveboracensis Black rail, Laterallus jamaicensis (A) Limpkin Order: GruiformesFamily: Aramidae The limpkin is an odd bird that looks like a large rail, but is skeletally closer to the cranes. It is found in marshes with some trees or scrub in the Caribbean, South America, and southern Florida. Limpkin, Aramus guarauna (A) Cranes Order: GruiformesFamily: Gruidae Cranes are large, long-legged, and long-necked birds. Unlike the similar-looking, but unrelated, herons, cranes fly with their necks outstretched, not pulled back. Most have elaborate and noisy courting displays. Sandhill crane, Antigone canadensis Common crane, Grus grus (C) Whooping crane, Grus americana Stilts and avocets Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Recurvirostridae Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds which includes the avocets and stilts. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills.