White-tipped Swift vs Chestnut-collared Swift
Aeronautes montivagus compared with Streptoprocne rutila
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | White-tipped Swift | Chestnut-collared Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aeronautes montivagus | Streptoprocne rutila |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 23.0 cm (9.1 in) | 26.0 cm (10.2 in) |
| Weight | 20.21666666666667 g (0.71 oz) | 21.8 g (0.77 oz) |
| Diet | Obligate aerial feeder on small insects and arachnids; catches prey in a wide gape during … | Entirely airborne feeder on tiny flies, gnats, and airborne arachnids; one of the most aerial … |
| Clutch Size | 4-5 | 2 |
| 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.
Chestnut-collared Swift
High, screaming trill; rapid 'scree-scree' in flight; shrill and penetrating; calls over Neotropical mountains and canyon edges; alarm a rapid screeching chatter
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.
Chestnut-collared Swift
Found from Mexico and the Caribbean south through Central America and South America to Argentina. Resident in highlands near mountain cliffs.
Conservation Status
White-tipped Swift
Chestnut-collared 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.
Chestnut-collared Swift
Dark blackish-brown body with diagnostic rich chestnut collar encircling entire neck; collar bold and complete; underparts slightly paler brown; small swift with striking warm-toned neck band contrasting vividly with dark …
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.
Chestnut-collared Swift
A small swift (13-14 cm) found from Mexico through Central America and South America to Bolivia and Brazil. Dark plumage with a distinctive chestnut collar and throat. Aerial insectivore, often foraging in mixed-species swift flocks over forests and highlands.