Cave Swiftlet vs Alpine Swift

Collocalia linchi مقارنةً بـ Tachymarptis melba

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Side-by-Side Comparison

السمة Cave Swiftlet Alpine Swift
الاسم العلمي Collocalia linchi Tachymarptis melba
الرتبة Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
الفصيلة Apodidae Apodidae
حالة الحفاظ Least Concern Least Concern
الطول
طول الجناح 18,7 cm (7.4 in) 43,9 cm (17.3 in)
الوزن 6,05 g (0.21 oz) 97,5 g (3.44 oz)
النظام الغذائي Entirely aerial diet of tiny insects and spiders; forages in large flocks over open country … Aerial insectivore taking small flying insects and spiders; may forage at great heights following thermal …
عدد البيض في الوضع 2 1-4
Population Trend
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Habitat Comparison

الموائل المشتركة

بلا

Cave Swiftlet only

Alpine Swift only

بلا

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Song & Call Comparison

Cave Swiftlet

الغناء

Soft, rapid twittering; thin 'tsit-tsit' over Javan forests; audible echolocation clicks inside caves; colonial; produces squeaky chattering at roost sites; calls weakly in flight

Alpine Swift

الغناء

Rapid series of short, clipped whistles; bright, clean notes delivered in quick succession with occasional doubled phrase.

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Geographic Range & Migration

Cave Swiftlet

Found in Sumatra, Java, Bali, and surrounding Indonesian islands. Resident in forest, cultivated land, and villages. Nests in rock crevices.

Alpine Swift

Breeds from southern Europe and North Africa east through Central Asia and the Himalayas to India. Migratory; winters in sub-Saharan Africa.

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حالة الحفاظ

Least Concern

Cave Swiftlet

Least Concern

Alpine Swift

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How to Tell Them Apart

Cave Swiftlet

الريش

Tiny; dark blue-black upperparts with faint gloss; pale greyish rump band; underparts whitish with grey-buff flanks; moderately forked tail; widespread in caves across Sundaland; less glossy and less white below …

Alpine Swift

الريش

Large; dark brown upperparts; white throat patch separated from white belly by dark brown breast band; brown flanks; bold tricoloured underpart pattern; one of Europe's largest swifts with distinctive white …

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About These Birds

Cave Swiftlet

A very small swiftlet (9 cm) found in Java, Bali, Sumatra, and the Lesser Sundas. Dark glossy plumage with a pale rump band. Aerial insectivore, foraging in flocks. One of the primary nest-producing swiftlets; its edible nests (made of saliva) are commercially harvested.

Alpine Swift

A large swift (20-22 cm, wingspan 54-60 cm) with a white belly and throat contrasting with dark brown upperparts. Found from southern Europe and Africa to Central Asia. Aerial insectivore, foraging at great heights. Nests on cliff faces in large colonies. Powerful, fast flier.

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