Mountain Swiftlet vs Alpine Swift
Aerodramus hirundinaceus compared with Tachymarptis melba
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Mountain Swiftlet | Alpine Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aerodramus hirundinaceus | Tachymarptis melba |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 23.0 cm (9.1 in) | 43.9 cm (17.3 in) |
| Weight | 9.700000000000001 g (0.34 oz) | 97.5 g (3.44 oz) |
| Diet | Entirely airborne insectivore; feeds on minute flying insects and web-dispersing spiders over open habitats. | Aerial insectivore taking small flying insects and spiders; may forage at great heights following thermal … |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 1-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Mountain Swiftlet
High, thin twittering; 'tsit-tsit' over New Guinea highlands; echolocation clicks used in cave roosts; calls weakly in flight; colonial; flock calls produce soft chittering
Alpine Swift
Rapid series of short, clipped whistles; bright, clean notes delivered in quick succession with occasional doubled phrase.
Geographic Range & Migration
Mountain Swiftlet
Found in montane New Guinea at 1,200–3,900 m. Resident in montane rainforest, moss forest, and subalpine grassland. Common in highlands.
Alpine Swift
Breeds from southern Europe and North Africa east through Central Asia and the Himalayas to India. Migratory; winters in sub-Saharan Africa.
Conservation Status
Mountain Swiftlet
Alpine Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Mountain Swiftlet
Small; dark blackish-grey upperparts; pale grey rump band; underparts pale greyish-white; forked tail; New Guinea montane endemic; similar to White-rumped Swiftlet but greyer overall and restricted to high-altitude zones.
Alpine Swift
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 …
About These Birds
Mountain Swiftlet
A small swiftlet (10-11 cm) found in montane regions of New Guinea at 1,500-3,800 m elevation. Dark grey-brown plumage. Aerial insectivore, foraging above cloud forest canopy. Colonial nester in cave entrances and rock crevices. Uses echolocation for cave navigation.
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.