White-tipped Swift vs White-chested Swift
Aeronautes montivagus compared with Cypseloides lemosi
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | White-tipped Swift | White-chested Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aeronautes montivagus | Cypseloides lemosi |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 23.0 cm (9.1 in) | 30.0 cm (11.8 in) |
| Weight | 20.21666666666667 g (0.71 oz) | 28.400000000000002 g (1.00 oz) |
| Diet | Obligate aerial feeder on small insects and arachnids; catches prey in a wide gape during … | Obligate aerial forager catching small flies, aphids, winged termites, and airborne spiders on the wing. |
| Clutch Size | 4-5 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
White-tipped Swift
High, pure whistle fading to sibilant ending; soft series of descending notes with slight wavering, rarely heard distinctly.
White-chested Swift
High, thin twittering; soft 'tsit' calls in flight; calls over Colombian waterfalls; very poorly known; thin, reedy contact notes; one of most rarely documented swifts
Geographic Range & Migration
White-tipped Swift
Found in the Andes and tepuis of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia at 500–3,000 m. Resident in montane rocky outcrops.
White-chested Swift
Known from Colombia and adjacent Ecuador. One of the world's rarest swifts; recorded at waterfalls in humid forest foothills at 500–1,200 m.
Conservation Status
White-tipped Swift
White-chested Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
White-tipped Swift
Dark blackish-brown; white throat and pale flanks; white tips to secondaries forming a white trailing-edge band on wing; smaller than White-throated Swift; Andean species distinguished by white-tipped secondary pattern.
White-chested Swift
Black upperparts and wings; distinctive large white chest patch contrasting sharply with black throat and belly; white confined to central breast; Colombian endemic with unique bold bicoloured plumage unlike any …
About These Birds
White-tipped Swift
A medium-sized swift (13-14 cm) found in montane regions from Mexico to Venezuela and Peru. Dark plumage with white tips on the outer tail feathers. Aerial insectivore, foraging over mountain slopes and cloud forests. Often seen in flocks along steep mountain ridges.
White-chested Swift
A medium-sized swift (14-15 cm) endemic to the upper Cauca Valley of Colombia. Sooty-black plumage with a white breast patch. Aerial insectivore of subtropical forests. Classified as Endangered due to extremely restricted range and ongoing habitat loss.