Drab Swiftlet vs White-chested Swift
Collocalia neglecta compared with Cypseloides lemosi
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Drab Swiftlet | White-chested Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Collocalia neglecta | Cypseloides lemosi |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Not Evaluated | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | — | 30.0 cm (11.8 in) |
| Weight | 5.9 g (0.21 oz) | 28.400000000000002 g (1.00 oz) |
| Diet | Entirely airborne insectivore; feeds on minute flying insects and web-dispersing spiders over open habitats. | 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
Drab Swiftlet
High, thin twittering; 'tsit-tsit' in flight; echolocation clicks inside cave roosts; small size and unremarkable plumage matched by simple, thin high-pitched calls
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
Drab Swiftlet
Found on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Simeuluë Island off Sumatra. Resident in coastal and lowland habitats. Sedentary.
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
Drab Swiftlet
White-chested Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Drab Swiftlet
Tiny; dull brownish-grey upperparts with little or no gloss; whitish-buff rump band; pale greyish-buff underparts; forked tail; as the name implies, lacks the iridescent gloss of most Collocalia swiftlets; island …
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
Drab Swiftlet
A small swiftlet (10 cm) found in the Philippines, Sulawesi, and the Moluccas. Dark grey-brown plumage, less glossy than related species. Aerial insectivore. Colonial cave nester. Taxonomy has been revised repeatedly; sometimes merged with other swiftlet taxa.
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.