Plain Swift vs Alpine Swift
Apus unicolor compared with Tachymarptis melba
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Plain Swift | Alpine Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Apus unicolor | Tachymarptis melba |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 29.9 cm (11.8 in) | 43.9 cm (17.3 in) |
| Weight | 24.2 g (0.85 oz) | 97.5 g (3.44 oz) |
| Diet | Exclusively aerial insectivore catching small flying insects and spiders drifting in aerial plankton at altitude. | Aerial insectivore taking small flying insects and spiders; may forage at great heights following thermal … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 1-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Plain Swift
Harsh, grating scream with descending inflection; loud raspy calls carrying urgency, often given during colony disturbance.
Alpine Swift
Rapid series of short, clipped whistles; bright, clean notes delivered in quick succession with occasional doubled phrase.
Geographic Range & Migration
Plain Swift
Breeds on the Azores, Madeira, and Canary Islands. Resident on these Macaronesian archipelagos. Closely related to Common Swift.
Alpine Swift
Breeds from southern Europe and North Africa east through Central Asia and the Himalayas to India. Migratory; winters in sub-Saharan Africa.
Conservation Status
Plain Swift
Alpine Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Plain Swift
Dark sooty-brown plumage; very faint pale chin; no distinct throat patch; entirely plain and uniform; smaller than Common Swift; Macaronesian endemic breeding in Canary Islands and Madeira; coloration slightly paler …
Alpine Swift
Large; dark brown upperparts; white throat patch separated from white belly by dark brown breast band; brown flanks; bold tricoloured underpart pattern; one of Europe's largest swifts with distinctive white …
About These Birds
Plain Swift
A medium-sized swift (14-15 cm) endemic to the Macaronesian islands of Madeira and the Canaries. Dark brown plumage, slightly paler than Common Swift. Aerial insectivore. Resident population on the islands. Closely related to Common Swift but lacks the pale throat patch.
Alpine Swift
A large swift (20-22 cm, wingspan 54-60 cm) with a white belly and throat contrasting with dark brown upperparts. Found from southern Europe and Africa to Central Asia. Aerial insectivore, foraging at great heights. Nests on cliff faces in large colonies. Powerful, fast flier.