White-chested Swift vs Scarce Swift
Cypseloides lemosi compared with Schoutedenapus myoptilus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | White-chested Swift | Scarce Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Cypseloides lemosi | Schoutedenapus myoptilus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 30.0 cm (11.8 in) | 25.9 cm (10.2 in) |
| Weight | 28.400000000000002 g (1.00 oz) | 26.916666666666668 g (0.95 oz) |
| Diet | Obligate aerial forager catching small flies, aphids, winged termites, and airborne spiders on the wing. | Obligate aerial insectivore; gathers small flying insects, winged ants, and airborne spiders during flight. |
| 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
Scarce Swift
High, sharp twittering; thin 'tsee-tsee' calls over African montane forest; rarely documented; calls from small flocks over mountain ridges; higher-pitched than larger African swifts
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.
Scarce Swift
Found in montane East Africa from Uganda and Kenya south to Malawi and Mozambique. Resident in mountain forests above 1,500 m. Scarce.
Conservation Status
White-chested Swift
Scarce 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 …
Scarce Swift
Dark sooty-brown overall; underparts paler grey-brown; pale grey-buff chin; moderately forked tail; African montane swift of the Albertine Rift; name reflects rarity in field; plumage uniformly dark with minimal pale …
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.
Scarce Swift
A medium-sized swift (17-18 cm) found in montane forests of eastern Africa, from Ethiopia to Malawi and Mozambique. Dark sooty-brown plumage. Aerial insectivore, foraging over forest canopy at 1,000-3,000 m elevation. Uncommon and poorly known.