Pale-rumped Swift vs White-collared Swift
Chaetura egregia compared with Streptoprocne zonaris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Pale-rumped Swift | White-collared Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chaetura egregia | Streptoprocne zonaris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 23.4 cm (9.2 in) | 42.5 cm (16.7 in) |
| Weight | 23.68 g (0.84 oz) | 106.45 g (3.75 oz) |
| Diet | Obligate aerial insectivore; gathers small flying insects, winged ants, and airborne spiders during flight. | Obligate aerial insectivore; gathers small flying insects, winged ants, and airborne spiders during flight. |
| Clutch Size | -- | 2 |
| 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-collared Swift
Loud, screaming 'shreee-shreee'; powerful screeching trill; calls from large flocks over mountains; very audible; one of the loudest Neotropical swifts; alarm a harsh rattle
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-collared Swift
Found from Mexico south through Central America to South America east of the Andes, reaching Bolivia and southern Brazil. Often in large flocks.
Conservation Status
Pale-rumped Swift
White-collared 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-collared Swift
Large; glossy blue-black plumage with bold broad white collar encircling entire neck; collar clean and complete; underparts black; large slightly forked tail; among the most recognisable Neotropical swifts due to …
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-collared Swift
A very large swift (20-22 cm, wingspan 45-55 cm) with a bold white collar band, the largest New World swift. Found from Mexico to southern Brazil and the Caribbean. Aerial insectivore, foraging in large, noisy flocks over forests and cities. Nests behind waterfalls and in caves.