Pale-rumped Swift vs White-chested Swift
Chaetura egregia compared with Cypseloides lemosi
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Pale-rumped Swift | White-chested Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chaetura egregia | Cypseloides lemosi |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 23.4 cm (9.2 in) | 30.0 cm (11.8 in) |
| Weight | 23.68 g (0.84 oz) | 28.400000000000002 g (1.00 oz) |
| Diet | Obligate aerial insectivore; gathers small flying insects, winged ants, and airborne spiders during flight. | Obligate aerial forager catching small flies, aphids, winged termites, and airborne spiders on the wing. |
| Clutch Size | -- | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Pale-rumped Swift
Breathy, rippling chatter with airy quality; light twittering notes loosely strung together in relaxed arrhythmic sequences.
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
Pale-rumped Swift
Found in the western Amazon basin from eastern Peru and Bolivia east to central Brazil. Resident in lowland tropical forest near rivers.
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
Pale-rumped Swift
White-chested Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Pale-rumped Swift
Small; dark sooty-brown upperparts; distinctively very pale whitish rump strongly contrasting with dark back; underparts dark grey-brown; short spiny tail; Amazonian species with one of the most striking white rumps …
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
Pale-rumped Swift
A small swift (11-12 cm) of humid lowland forests from Colombia to Peru and western Brazil. Dark plumage with a conspicuous pale rump band. Spine-tipped tail. Aerial insectivore, foraging over forest canopy and rivers. Often seen in mixed-species swift flocks.
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.