The Spot-fronted Swift occurs in Costa Rica and scattered areas of northern South America. It has a short, square tail and a distinctive pale pattern around the eyes.
Its plumage is blackish, with a white patch in front of the eye, a post-ocular streak and pale fringes over the eye-patch. The tail is short and square.
It uses low to mid elevations and wet mountain forest, especially ravines and streams in South America. It catches insects in flight, usually alone or in pairs, and may join flocks of other swifts.
In Venezuela’s Yacambú National Park, nests on rocky outcrops used mud and vegetation topped with fresh moss.
All 25 nests studied there in 2003–08 held one rounded, creamy-white egg each.
At one Yacambú nest with exact dates, 36 days elapsed from laying to the chick fully emerging from its egg.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.