Grey-rumped Treeswift vs Moustached Treeswift
Hemiprocne longipennis compared with Hemiprocne mystacea
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Grey-rumped Treeswift | Moustached Treeswift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Hemiprocne longipennis | Hemiprocne mystacea |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Hemiprocnidae | Hemiprocnidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 33.5 cm (13.2 in) | 43.3 cm (17.0 in) |
| Weight | 35.9 g (1.27 oz) | 70.16666666666667 g (2.48 oz) |
| Diet | Perch-sallying aerial hunter catching small flying insects, including flies and beetles, in swift low-altitude pursuits. | Sally-hunting aerial insectivore taking flies, beetles, and winged ants from an exposed tree perch; not … |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Grey-rumped Treeswift
High, screaming 'keeer-keeer'; shrill piercing calls from forest canopy; metallic quality; calls from prominent high perch in Southeast Asian forest; alarm a sharp scream
Moustached Treeswift
Loud, screaming 'kreee-kreee'; powerful shrill calls from New Guinea forest edge; largest treeswift; calls from exposed high perch; alarm a rapid piercing scream
Geographic Range & Migration
Grey-rumped Treeswift
Found from southern India through the Thai-Malay Peninsula to Sumatra, Java, and Borneo. Resident in open forest and forest edge.
Moustached Treeswift
Found from the Moluccas and New Guinea east through the Bismarcks and Solomons to Micronesia. Resident in forest edge and open areas.
Conservation Status
Grey-rumped Treeswift
Moustached Treeswift
How to Tell Them Apart
Grey-rumped Treeswift
Males dark blue-grey upperparts with grey rump; chestnut ear coverts; white supercilium; underparts whitish with pale grey flanks; females lack chestnut ear patch; notably pale grey rump contrasts with darker …
Moustached Treeswift
Large treeswift; dark blackish-grey upperparts with greenish gloss; bold white supercilium and long white postocular stripe forming moustache; chestnut ear coverts in male; white underparts; deeply forked long tail; Australasian …
About These Birds
Grey-rumped Treeswift
A medium-sized treeswift (20-23 cm) found in lowland forests of Southeast Asia from the Malay Peninsula to Borneo and the Philippines. Dark brown plumage with a contrasting grey rump. Aerial insectivore, often perching conspicuously on high exposed branches in small groups.
Moustached Treeswift
A medium-sized treeswift (25-30 cm) with a large, swept-back crest and a distinctive white streak from the eye. Found in forests and forest edges from the Moluccas through New Guinea to the Solomon Islands. Aerial insectivore, often seen perching on high bare branches. The largest treeswift.