Spot-fronted Swift vs White-collared Swift
Cypseloides cherriei compared with Streptoprocne zonaris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Spot-fronted Swift | White-collared Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Cypseloides cherriei | Streptoprocne zonaris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 25.0 cm (9.8 in) | 42.5 cm (16.7 in) |
| Weight | 22.725 g (0.80 oz) | 106.45 g (3.75 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds aerially on tiny insects and spiders, often following weather fronts where aerial plankton concentrates. | Obligate aerial insectivore; gathers small flying insects, winged ants, and airborne spiders during flight. |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Spot-fronted Swift
Soft 'chip-chip' notes; thin, quiet twittering in flight; calls over Colombian waterfalls and mountain streams; high-pitched weak trills; rarely vocal away from breeding
White-collared Swift
Loud, screaming 'shreee-shreee'; powerful screeching trill; calls from large flocks over mountains; very audible; one of the loudest Neotropical swifts; alarm a harsh rattle
Geographic Range & Migration
Spot-fronted Swift
Found in disjunct montane populations from Costa Rica and Venezuela south to Ecuador. Rare; associated with waterfalls at 600–2,000 m elevation.
White-collared Swift
Found from Mexico south through Central America to South America east of the Andes, reaching Bolivia and southern Brazil. Often in large flocks.
Conservation Status
Spot-fronted Swift
White-collared Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Spot-fronted Swift
Sooty-black overall with distinctive white-spotted forehead; throat shows pale grey-white scaling; no other markings; dark uniform body contrasts with the unique white-spotted loral and frontal spots that name the species.
White-collared Swift
Large; glossy blue-black plumage with bold broad white collar encircling entire neck; collar clean and complete; underparts black; large slightly forked tail; among the most recognisable Neotropical swifts due to …
About These Birds
Spot-fronted Swift
A medium-sized dark swift (13-14 cm) of montane forests in Costa Rica and western Panama. Sooty-black plumage with white loral spots. Aerial insectivore, foraging high over forested ravines and mountain ridges. Rare and poorly known; classified as Near Threatened.
White-collared Swift
A very large swift (20-22 cm, wingspan 45-55 cm) with a bold white collar band, the largest New World swift. Found from Mexico to southern Brazil and the Caribbean. Aerial insectivore, foraging in large, noisy flocks over forests and cities. Nests behind waterfalls and in caves.