Whitehead's Swiftlet vs Pallid Swift
Aerodramus whiteheadi compared with Apus pallidus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Whitehead's Swiftlet | Pallid Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aerodramus whiteheadi | Apus pallidus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Data Deficient | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 27.2 cm (10.7 in) | 33.4 cm (13.1 in) |
| Weight | 14.0 g (0.49 oz) | 42.25 g (1.49 oz) |
| Diet | Aerial plankton feeder taking tiny midges, fungus gnats, and ballooning spiders in rapid coursing flights. | Aerial insectivore foraging continuously in flight, taking tiny flies, beetles, and ballooning spiders. |
| Clutch Size | -- | 1-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Whitehead's Swiftlet
Thin twittering; 'chip-chip' calls over Borneo highlands; echolocation clicks in cave roosts; data deficient; calls poorly documented from remote Bornean montane habitat
Pallid Swift
Melodic, rolling trill with rich timbre; sustained musical phrase with slight variations on repeated delivery at dusk.
Geographic Range & Migration
Whitehead's Swiftlet
Endemic to the highlands of Borneo at 800–3,000 m. Resident in montane forest on Mount Kinabalu and the Crocker Range.
Pallid Swift
Breeds in the Mediterranean and North Africa east to Pakistan. Migratory; winters in sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia.
Conservation Status
Whitehead's Swiftlet
Pallid Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Whitehead's Swiftlet
Small; dark brownish-grey upperparts; pale buff-grey rump band; underparts pale grey-white; forked tail; Philippine endemic from Luzon; data-deficient species differing from Philippine Swiftlet mainly in habitat preference and island range.
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
Whitehead's Swiftlet
A small swiftlet (11-12 cm) endemic to the mountains of northern Luzon, Philippines. Dark plumage with a pale rump. Aerial insectivore of montane forest canopy above 1,000 m. Colonial cave nester using echolocation. Named after John Whitehead. Poorly known.
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.