Pallid Swift vs Chimney Swift
Apus pallidus compared with Chaetura pelagica
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Pallid Swift | Chimney Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Apus pallidus | Chaetura pelagica |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 33.4 cm (13.1 in) | 24.9 cm (9.8 in) |
| Weight | 42.25 g (1.49 oz) | 22.666666666666668 g (0.80 oz) |
| Diet | Aerial insectivore foraging continuously in flight, taking tiny flies, beetles, and ballooning spiders. | Aerial forager on tiny insects and wind-dispersed spiders; forages near water surfaces where insects concentrate. |
| Clutch Size | 1-4 | 2-7 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Pallid Swift
Melodic, rolling trill with rich timbre; sustained musical phrase with slight variations on repeated delivery at dusk.
Chimney Swift
Rapid, liquid twittering with bright cheerful quality; chi-chi-chi staccato notes carrying well across open sky at dusk.
Geographic Range & Migration
Pallid Swift
Breeds in the Mediterranean and North Africa east to Pakistan. Migratory; winters in sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia.
Chimney Swift
Breeds in eastern North America from Canada south to Texas. Long-distance migrant wintering in the upper Amazon basin of Peru and Brazil.
Conservation Status
Pallid Swift
Chimney Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Pallid Swift
Medium-large; pale brownish-grey overall, distinctly paler than Common Swift; larger pale throat patch; wing coverts show pale scaly edges; Mediterranean and Middle Eastern species; pale sandy-brown tone separates it from …
Chimney Swift
Small; uniformly dark sooty-grey overall with slightly paler grey throat and chin; no contrasting rump patch; short spiny tail; sexes identical; North American chimney-nesting species famous for its swirling pre-roost …
About These Birds
Pallid Swift
A medium-sized swift (16-17 cm) similar to Common Swift but paler, sandy-brown overall with a larger white throat patch. Found across southern Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Aerial insectivore. Long-distance migrant wintering in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
Chimney Swift
A medium-sized swift (12-15 cm) famous for roosting and nesting inside chimneys across eastern North America. Dark grey-brown plumage with a cigar-shaped body and short, spine-tipped tail. Aerial insectivore catching flying insects. Long-distance migrant wintering in northwestern South America.