Ridgetop Swiftlet vs Great Dusky Swift
Collocalia isonota compared with Cypseloides senex
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Ridgetop Swiftlet | Great Dusky Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Collocalia isonota | Cypseloides senex |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Not Evaluated | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | — | 33.8 cm (13.3 in) |
| Weight | 6.483333333333333 g (0.23 oz) | 83.0 g (2.93 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Feeds on aerial plankton of tiny insects and spiders; entire diet captured during non-stop aerial … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Ridgetop Swiftlet
Thin, high twittering; soft 'chip-chip' over Solomon Islands ridges; echolocation clicks in caves; one of smallest swiftlets; calls barely audible; rapid chittering in flight
Great Dusky Swift
Loud, churring trill; harsher and louder than other Cypseloides; calls over Iguacu Falls and major Neotropical waterfalls; buzzy 'bzzzt-bzzzt' in aerial groups
Geographic Range & Migration
Ridgetop Swiftlet
Great Dusky Swift
Found in eastern South America from Venezuela and the Guianas south to Bolivia and Paraguay. Resident near rocky cliffs and waterfalls.
Conservation Status
Ridgetop Swiftlet
Great Dusky Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Ridgetop Swiftlet
Tiny swiftlet; glossy dark blue-green upperparts; pale buff rump band; dark sooty-brown underparts; slightly forked tail; recently described Philippine endemic; differs from congeners primarily in voice and ridge-top ridge habitat.
Great Dusky Swift
Very large; entirely dark sooty-brown with pale grey forehead and chin scaling; slightly paler underparts; broad wings; largest Cypseloides swift; South American waterfall specialist with dusky uniform plumage and imposing …
About These Birds
Ridgetop Swiftlet
A small swiftlet (9-10 cm) found in montane regions of the Philippines and the Lesser Sundas. Dark glossy plumage. Aerial insectivore. Recently split from Glossy Swiftlet. A high-altitude specialist, often found above 1,000 m on mountain ridges.
Great Dusky Swift
A large swift (18-20 cm) of southeastern Brazil, eastern Paraguay, and northeastern Argentina. Dark sooty-brown plumage. Aerial insectivore, foraging over forested gorges and waterfalls. Nests in large colonies behind waterfalls. The largest member of the genus Cypseloides.