White-rumped Swift vs White-collared Swift
Apus caffer compared with Streptoprocne zonaris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | White-rumped Swift | White-collared Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Apus caffer | Streptoprocne zonaris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 29.0 cm (11.4 in) | 42.5 cm (16.7 in) |
| Weight | 23.0 g (0.81 oz) | 106.45 g (3.75 oz) |
| Diet | Aerial insectivore taking small flying insects and spiders; may forage at great heights following thermal … | Obligate aerial insectivore; gathers small flying insects, winged ants, and airborne spiders during flight. |
| Clutch Size | 1-3 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
White-rumped Swift
Deep, guttural churring with resonant buzzing quality; prolonged low-frequency trill vibrating persistently through dense foliage.
White-collared Swift
Loud, screaming 'shreee-shreee'; powerful screeching trill; calls from large flocks over mountains; very audible; one of the loudest Neotropical swifts; alarm a harsh rattle
Geographic Range & Migration
White-rumped Swift
Breeds in southern Europe and North Africa east to Central Asia. Migratory; winters in sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal south to South Africa.
White-collared Swift
Found from Mexico south through Central America to South America east of the Andes, reaching Bolivia and southern Brazil. Often in large flocks.
Conservation Status
White-rumped Swift
White-collared Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
White-rumped Swift
Dark sooty-brown; narrow elongated white rump patch; white throat; underparts dark; forked tail; African species; narrower and more elongated white rump than Little Swift; deeply forked tail unlike the square …
White-collared Swift
Large; glossy blue-black plumage with bold broad white collar encircling entire neck; collar clean and complete; underparts black; large slightly forked tail; among the most recognisable Neotropical swifts due to …
About These Birds
White-rumped Swift
A small swift (14 cm) found across sub-Saharan Africa and the Iberian Peninsula. Dark plumage with a white rump and throat patch. Aerial insectivore. Famously uses the mud nests of other swallows and martins, adding its own feather and saliva lining. A brood parasite of nest architecture.
White-collared Swift
A very large swift (20-22 cm, wingspan 45-55 cm) with a bold white collar band, the largest New World swift. Found from Mexico to southern Brazil and the Caribbean. Aerial insectivore, foraging in large, noisy flocks over forests and cities. Nests behind waterfalls and in caves.