Black-nest Swiftlet vs Alpine Swift
Aerodramus maximus compared with Tachymarptis melba
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Black-nest Swiftlet | Alpine Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aerodramus maximus | Tachymarptis melba |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 25.8 cm (10.2 in) | 43.9 cm (17.3 in) |
| Weight | 16.8 g (0.59 oz) | 97.5 g (3.44 oz) |
| Diet | Aerial plankton feeder taking tiny midges, fungus gnats, and ballooning spiders in rapid coursing flights. | 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
Black-nest Swiftlet
Rapid twittering; thin 'tsit-tsit' over Southeast Asian forest; audible echolocation clicks in caves; larger than many swiftlets; slightly louder calls; colonial nester with dark nest
Alpine Swift
Rapid series of short, clipped whistles; bright, clean notes delivered in quick succession with occasional doubled phrase.
Geographic Range & Migration
Black-nest Swiftlet
Found from the Nicobar Islands through the Thai-Malay Peninsula, Borneo, and the Philippines. Famous for edible nests made of pure saliva.
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
Black-nest Swiftlet
Alpine Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Black-nest Swiftlet
Medium-small; dark sooty-brown upperparts with rump slightly paler grey-brown; underparts dark sooty-grey; forked tail; one of the largest Aerodramus swiftlets; named for its distinctive all-black saliva nest rather than visible …
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
Black-nest Swiftlet
A medium-sized swiftlet (13-14 cm) found from the Malay Peninsula through Indonesia to the Philippines. Dark plumage. Aerial insectivore. Colonial cave nester, building nests primarily of dark feathers cemented with saliva on cave walls. Commercially harvested for bird's nest soup.
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.