White-chested Swift vs Black Swift
Cypseloides lemosi compared with Cypseloides niger
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | White-chested Swift | Black Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Cypseloides lemosi | Cypseloides niger |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 30.0 cm (11.8 in) | 29.9 cm (11.8 in) |
| Weight | 28.400000000000002 g (1.00 oz) | 41.55 g (1.47 oz) |
| Diet | Obligate aerial forager catching small flies, aphids, winged termites, and airborne spiders on the wing. | Exclusively aerial diet; consumes tiny flying insects and spiders, sometimes following insect swarms for km. |
| Clutch Size | -- | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
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
Black Swift
Soft, buzzy chittering 'spee-spee'; thin twittering over mountain waterfalls; higher and softer than Common Swift; small flocks call weakly over nesting cliffs
Geographic Range & Migration
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.
Black Swift
Breeds in western North America from Alaska south to California and the Caribbean. Migrates to winter in Mexico and Central America.
Conservation Status
White-chested Swift
Black Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
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 …
Black Swift
Entirely black with slight glossy sheen; faint pale scaling on forehead and chin in fresh plumage; broad-winged and large-bodied; slightly forked tail; sexes alike; North American cliff-nesting swift with wholly …
About These Birds
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.
Black Swift
A large swift (15-18 cm, wingspan 38 cm) with all-dark plumage and a slightly forked tail. Breeds on sea cliffs and behind waterfalls across western North America and the Caribbean. Aerial insectivore, foraging high over mountains and valleys. A long-distance migrant wintering in South America.