White-chested Swift vs White-fronted Swift
Cypseloides lemosi compared with Cypseloides storeri
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | White-chested Swift | White-fronted Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Cypseloides lemosi | Cypseloides storeri |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Data Deficient |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 30.0 cm (11.8 in) | 27.4 cm (10.8 in) |
| Weight | 28.400000000000002 g (1.00 oz) | 39.25 g (1.38 oz) |
| Diet | Obligate aerial forager catching small flies, aphids, winged termites, and airborne spiders on the wing. | Obligate aerial insectivore; takes small flies, beetles, and aerial spiders in swooping fast-flight passes. |
| Clutch Size | -- | -- |
| 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
White-fronted Swift
Poorly known vocalizations; thin twittering presumed; calls over Mexican montane waterfalls; high-pitched soft chip notes; very rarely documented; data-deficient species
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.
White-fronted Swift
Endemic to western Mexico from Jalisco to Oaxaca. Resident in forested highlands near canyon streams at 1,000–2,500 m. Poorly known.
Conservation Status
White-chested Swift
White-fronted 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 …
White-fronted Swift
Blackish-brown throughout with a prominent white frontal patch on forehead and lores; no other pale markings; slightly paler brownish below; poorly known Mexican endemic known from very few specimens.
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.
White-fronted Swift
A medium-sized swift (14 cm) endemic to montane forests of western Mexico at 1,500-3,000 m elevation. Sooty-black plumage with a white forehead patch. Aerial insectivore feeding over forested mountainsides. One of the least known Neotropical swifts. Classified as Vulnerable.