Cook's Swift vs Chestnut-collared Swift
Apus cooki compared with Streptoprocne rutila
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Cook's Swift | Chestnut-collared Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Apus cooki | Streptoprocne rutila |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Not Evaluated | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | — | 26.0 cm (10.2 in) |
| Weight | 42.949999999999996 g (1.52 oz) | 21.8 g (0.77 oz) |
| Diet | Catches aerial plankton — tiny midges, gnats, and ballooning spiders — continuously during soaring flight. | Entirely airborne feeder on tiny flies, gnats, and airborne arachnids; one of the most aerial … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Cook's Swift
Bright, flute-like series of liquid notes; clear melodic phrase ascending slightly then resolving on a sustained pure tone.
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
Cook's Swift
Found from southern Thailand through the Thai-Malay Peninsula to Sumatra, Borneo, and adjacent islands. Resident in lowland forest.
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
Cook's Swift
Chestnut-collared Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Cook's Swift
Dark sooty-brown upperparts; white rump patch; pale white throat; dark underparts; deeply forked tail; recently split taxon from Pacific Swift complex; plumage essentially identical to close relatives, distinguished primarily by …
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
Cook's Swift
A medium-sized swift (16-17 cm) found in montane forests from the Malay Peninsula through Southeast Asia to southern China. Dark plumage with a pale throat. Aerial insectivore. Named after Frederick Cook. Until recently considered conspecific with Pacific Swift.
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.