Blyth's Swift vs White-chested Swift
Apus leuconyx compared with Cypseloides lemosi
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Blyth's Swift | White-chested Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Apus leuconyx | Cypseloides lemosi |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Not Evaluated | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | — | 30.0 cm (11.8 in) |
| Weight | 42.949999999999996 g (1.52 oz) | 28.400000000000002 g (1.00 oz) |
| Diet | Obligate aerial insectivore; takes small flies, beetles, and aerial spiders in swooping fast-flight passes. | Obligate aerial forager catching small flies, aphids, winged termites, and airborne spiders on the wing. |
| Clutch Size | 2-3 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Blyth's Swift
Loud, piercing screech with shrill metallic quality; powerful prolonged calls audible from considerable distances in open sky.
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
Blyth's Swift
Found from Central Asia and the Himalayas east to China and southeastern Russia. Migratory; winters in South and Southeast Asia.
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
Blyth's Swift
White-chested Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Blyth's Swift
Dark blackish-brown upperparts; white rump patch; white throat; underparts dark brown; deeply forked tail; recently described species closely related to Pacific Swift; separation based on molecular and biometric characters.
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
Blyth's Swift
A medium-sized swift found in montane regions of Central and East Asia. Dark plumage with a white chin patch. Aerial insectivore, foraging over mountain valleys and cliffs. Named after Edward Blyth. Breeds in rock crevices on high cliffs. Poorly known migratory patterns.
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.