Bornean Swiftlet vs Alpine Swift
Collocalia dodgei compared with Tachymarptis melba
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Bornean Swiftlet | Alpine Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Collocalia dodgei | Tachymarptis melba |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Not Evaluated | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | — | 43.9 cm (17.3 in) |
| Weight | 6.1 g (0.22 oz) | 97.5 g (3.44 oz) |
| Diet | Small aerial insectivore feeding on minute flying insects and spiders; forages over forest canopy and … | Aerial insectivore taking small flying insects and spiders; may forage at great heights following thermal … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 1-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Bornean Swiftlet
High thin twittering; soft 'tsit' notes over Borneo mountains; echolocation in cave roosts; tiny highland swiftlet; call weakly audible; soft rapid chittering in flight
Alpine Swift
Rapid series of short, clipped whistles; bright, clean notes delivered in quick succession with occasional doubled phrase.
Geographic Range & Migration
Bornean Swiftlet
Endemic to Borneo in lowland dipterocarp forest and hill forest. Closely related to Glossy Swiftlet; range barely extends to Palawan.
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
Bornean Swiftlet
Alpine Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Bornean Swiftlet
Tiny; dark glossy blue-green upperparts; pale whitish rump band; dark sooty-grey underparts; forked tail; Borneo endemic restricted to montane zones; similar to Glossy Swiftlet but less white below and confined …
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
Bornean Swiftlet
A small swiftlet (9-10 cm) endemic to montane forests of northern Borneo at 900-3,400 m elevation. Dark glossy plumage. Aerial insectivore. Colonial cave nester. Restricted to high-altitude caves on Mount Kinabalu and neighboring peaks. Limited ecological data.
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.