Chapman's Swift vs Alpine Swift
Chaetura chapmani compared with Tachymarptis melba
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Chapman's Swift | Alpine Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chaetura chapmani | Tachymarptis melba |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 24.6 cm (9.7 in) | 43.9 cm (17.3 in) |
| Weight | 23.416666666666668 g (0.83 oz) | 97.5 g (3.44 oz) |
| Diet | Obligate aerial forager; feeds entirely on the wing on small flying insects, midges, and airborne … | Aerial insectivore taking small flying insects and spiders; may forage at great heights following thermal … |
| Clutch Size | 2-3 | 1-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Chapman's Swift
Quick, bubbling series of soft chips; pleasant liquid twittering with slightly buzzy edges, delivered during aerial display.
Alpine Swift
Rapid series of short, clipped whistles; bright, clean notes delivered in quick succession with occasional doubled phrase.
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.
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
Chapman's Swift
Alpine 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 …
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
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.
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.