Chapman's Swift vs White-chested Swift
Chaetura chapmani compared with Cypseloides lemosi
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Chapman's Swift | White-chested Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chaetura chapmani | Cypseloides lemosi |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 24.6 cm (9.7 in) | 30.0 cm (11.8 in) |
| Weight | 23.416666666666668 g (0.83 oz) | 28.400000000000002 g (1.00 oz) |
| Diet | Obligate aerial forager; feeds entirely on the wing on small flying insects, midges, and airborne … | Obligate aerial forager catching small flies, aphids, winged termites, and airborne spiders on the wing. |
| Clutch Size | 2-3 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Chapman's Swift only
White-chested Swift only
Song & Call Comparison
Chapman's Swift
Quick, bubbling series of soft chips; pleasant liquid twittering with slightly buzzy edges, delivered during aerial display.
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
Chapman's Swift
Found in Trinidad and Tobago and northern South America from Colombia and Venezuela south to northeastern Brazil. Resident in lowland forest.
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
Chapman's Swift
White-chested Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Chapman's Swift
Small; dark sooty-brown overall; rump slightly paler grey-brown than back; underparts dark brown; short spiny tail; Amazonian species intermediate in plumage between Chimney Swift and Band-rumped Swift; relatively poorly differentiated …
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
Chapman's Swift
A small swift (12-13 cm) found in forests from Central America through northern South America to Trinidad. Dark plumage with a grey rump. Spine-tipped tail. Aerial insectivore. Difficult to distinguish from other Chaetura swifts in the field. Poorly studied.
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.