Ashy-tailed Swift vs Chestnut-collared Swift
Chaetura andrei compared with Streptoprocne rutila
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Ashy-tailed Swift | Chestnut-collared Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chaetura andrei | Streptoprocne rutila |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 22.3 cm (8.8 in) | 26.0 cm (10.2 in) |
| Weight | 17.1 g (0.60 oz) | 21.8 g (0.77 oz) |
| Diet | Aerial insectivore foraging continuously in flight, taking tiny flies, beetles, and ballooning spiders. | 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
Ashy-tailed Swift
Dry rattling chatter with sharp staccato onset; brief bursts of clicking notes followed by descending hissing sound.
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
Ashy-tailed Swift
Found in eastern Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, and northern Argentina. Partially migratory; moves north in austral winter. 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
Ashy-tailed Swift
Chestnut-collared Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Ashy-tailed Swift
Small; dark sooty-brown overall; distinctly pale ashy-grey rump and tail contrasting with dark body; underparts dark grey-brown; ashy rump and tail the defining feature separating it from other South American …
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
Ashy-tailed Swift
A small swift (11-12 cm) of lowland forests in Venezuela, the Guianas, and Trinidad, with a separate population in southeastern Brazil. Dark plumage with an ashy-grey rump and undertail. Spine-tipped tail. Aerial insectivore. Nests in hollow palms and chimneys.
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.