It is found from Panama south through Colombia into Ecuador, east from Venezuela into the Guianas and Brazil, and on Trinidad.

It has a protruding head, a short square tail, and wings that bulge in the middle and somewhat hook at the end.

Subspecies C. s. aetherodroma is smaller than the nominate; its rump patch is grayer and its throat paler.

[2] The nominate subspecies of band-rumped swift is found in eastern Venezuela, the Guianas, and north and central Brazil.

Subspecies C. s. aetherodroma is found from central Panama south through western Colombia to southwestern Ecuador.

[2] The band-rumped swift's breeding season apparently varies geographically but in general is within February to June.

The nominate subspecies of band-rumped swift "gives a diagnostic bisyllabic 'pseee-trr' or more burry 'prrrree-trtr'" and sometimes also "several repeated notes 'tsee-tsee-tsee'".