House Swift vs White-chested Swift
Apus nipalensis compared with Cypseloides lemosi
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | House Swift | White-chested Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Apus nipalensis | Cypseloides lemosi |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 26.0 cm (10.2 in) | 30.0 cm (11.8 in) |
| Weight | 28.15 g (0.99 oz) | 28.400000000000002 g (1.00 oz) |
| Diet | Obligate aerial forager catching small flies, aphids, winged termites, and airborne spiders on the wing. | Obligate aerial forager catching small flies, aphids, winged termites, and airborne spiders on the wing. |
| Clutch Size | 1-5 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
House Swift
Soft, melodic warbling phrase with flowing quality; gentle notes weaving smoothly, typical of damp tropical forest mornings.
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
House Swift
Found from Afghanistan east through South and Southeast Asia to Japan and Indonesia. Common in urban areas and hill country up to 2,500 m.
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
House Swift
White-chested Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
House Swift
Small; dark sooty-brown; white rump patch; white throat; underparts dark; square-ended tail; East and Southeast Asian colonial swift; closely resembles Little Swift but slightly larger and marginally different in rump …
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
House Swift
A small swift (13-15 cm) found across South and Southeast Asia from Japan through China to Indonesia. Dark plumage with a white rump and square tail. Aerial insectivore. Colonial nester on buildings, bridges, and cliffs. Very common in Asian cities and towns.
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.