Glossy Swiftlet vs White-chested Swift
Collocalia esculenta compared with Cypseloides lemosi
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Glossy Swiftlet | White-chested Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Collocalia esculenta | Cypseloides lemosi |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 19.9 cm (7.8 in) | 30.0 cm (11.8 in) |
| Weight | 8.66 g (0.31 oz) | 28.400000000000002 g (1.00 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds on aerial plankton including tiny flies and spiders; forages in large noisy flocks above … | Obligate aerial forager catching small flies, aphids, winged termites, and airborne spiders on the wing. |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Glossy Swiftlet
Rapid, high-pitched twittering; thin 'tsit-tsit-tsit' in flight; echolocation clicks audible in cave roosts; very common; calls over forest and open areas; colonial and noisy
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
Glossy Swiftlet
Found from India and Sri Lanka through Southeast Asia to New Guinea, Australia, and Pacific islands. One of the most widespread swiftlets.
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
Glossy Swiftlet
White-chested Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Glossy Swiftlet
Tiny; brilliant blue-green glossy upperparts; contrasting white rump patch; white underparts; deeply forked tail; widespread Indo-Pacific species and one of the most colourful swiftlets with a striking tricolour of gloss, …
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
Glossy Swiftlet
A small swiftlet (9-10 cm) widespread from the Malay Peninsula through Indonesia to the Pacific islands. Glossy blue-black upperparts with whitish or grey underparts. Aerial insectivore, foraging in flocks over forest and open country. Colonial nester in caves and under rock overhangs.
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.