Drab Swiftlet vs Alpine Swift
Collocalia neglecta compared with Tachymarptis melba
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Drab Swiftlet | Alpine Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Collocalia neglecta | Tachymarptis melba |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Not Evaluated | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | — | 43.9 cm (17.3 in) |
| Weight | 5.9 g (0.21 oz) | 97.5 g (3.44 oz) |
| Diet | Entirely airborne insectivore; feeds on minute flying insects and web-dispersing spiders over open habitats. | Aerial insectivore taking small flying insects and spiders; may forage at great heights following thermal … |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 1-4 |
| 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
Alpine Swift
Rapid series of short, clipped whistles; bright, clean notes delivered in quick succession with occasional doubled phrase.
Geographic Range & Migration
Drab Swiftlet
Found on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Simeuluë Island off Sumatra. Resident in coastal and lowland habitats. Sedentary.
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
Drab Swiftlet
Alpine 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 …
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
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.
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.