Himalayan Swiftlet vs Pallid Swift
Aerodramus brevirostris compared with Apus pallidus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Himalayan Swiftlet | Pallid Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aerodramus brevirostris | Apus pallidus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 24.6 cm (9.7 in) | 33.4 cm (13.1 in) |
| Weight | 12.65 g (0.45 oz) | 42.25 g (1.49 oz) |
| Diet | Small aerial insectivore feeding on minute flying insects and spiders; forages over forest canopy and … | Aerial insectivore foraging continuously in flight, taking tiny flies, beetles, and ballooning spiders. |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 1-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Himalayan Swiftlet
Thin twittering calls; 'chip-chip' over Himalayan valleys; audible echolocation clicks in caves; moderate-pitched; colonial roosts produce chattering; calls in swift flocks at dusk
Pallid Swift
Melodic, rolling trill with rich timbre; sustained musical phrase with slight variations on repeated delivery at dusk.
Geographic Range & Migration
Himalayan Swiftlet
Breeds in the Himalayas from India to southern China and Indochina. Partially migratory, wintering south to peninsular India and Southeast Asia.
Pallid Swift
Breeds in the Mediterranean and North Africa east to Pakistan. Migratory; winters in sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia.
Conservation Status
Himalayan Swiftlet
Pallid Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Himalayan Swiftlet
Small; dark grey-brown upperparts with faint gloss; pale grey rump band; underparts whitish-grey; forked tail; Himalayan and Southeast Asian highlands species; slightly browner than Black-nest Swiftlet with proportionally narrower rump …
Pallid Swift
Medium-large; pale brownish-grey overall, distinctly paler than Common Swift; larger pale throat patch; wing coverts show pale scaly edges; Mediterranean and Middle Eastern species; pale sandy-brown tone separates it from …
About These Birds
Himalayan Swiftlet
A small swiftlet (13-14 cm) found along the Himalayan foothills from Nepal through Southeast Asia to Indochina. Dark plumage with a pale rump. Aerial insectivore, foraging over forested valleys. Colonial cave nester. The largest member of the echolocating swiftlet genus.
Pallid Swift
A medium-sized swift (16-17 cm) similar to Common Swift but paler, sandy-brown overall with a larger white throat patch. Found across southern Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Aerial insectivore. Long-distance migrant wintering in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.