Purple Needletail vs Chestnut-collared Swift
Hirundapus celebensis compared with Streptoprocne rutila
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Purple Needletail | Chestnut-collared Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Hirundapus celebensis | Streptoprocne rutila |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 42.7 cm (16.8 in) | 26.0 cm (10.2 in) |
| Weight | 186.5 g (6.58 oz) | 21.8 g (0.77 oz) |
| Diet | Catches aerial plankton of small insects and spiders in fast sweeping flight; roosts in rock … | Entirely airborne feeder on tiny flies, gnats, and airborne arachnids; one of the most aerial … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Purple Needletail
Thin, penetrating screech with piercing quality; rapid trilling notes cascading steeply, cutting through jungle noise effectively.
Chestnut-collared Swift
High, screaming trill; rapid 'scree-scree' in flight; shrill and penetrating; calls over Neotropical mountains and canyon edges; alarm a rapid screeching chatter
Geographic Range & Migration
Purple Needletail
Found on Sulawesi, the Philippines, and adjacent islands in Wallacea. Resident in lowland and hill forest, foraging over forest and open areas.
Chestnut-collared Swift
Found from Mexico and the Caribbean south through Central America and South America to Argentina. Resident in highlands near mountain cliffs.
Conservation Status
Purple Needletail
Chestnut-collared Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Purple Needletail
Very large; dark black-brown upperparts with intense purple gloss on back and wing coverts; white throat patch; white undertail coverts; short spiny tail; Sulawesi endemic and the heaviest needletail; stunning …
Chestnut-collared Swift
Dark blackish-brown body with diagnostic rich chestnut collar encircling entire neck; collar bold and complete; underparts slightly paler brown; small swift with striking warm-toned neck band contrasting vividly with dark …
About These Birds
Purple Needletail
A large needletail swift (19-20 cm) endemic to the Philippines and Sulawesi. Dark plumage with purplish gloss and a white throat patch. Spine-tipped tail. Aerial insectivore, foraging in rapid flight over montane forests. Less studied than its continental relatives.
Chestnut-collared Swift
A small swift (13-14 cm) found from Mexico through Central America and South America to Bolivia and Brazil. Dark plumage with a distinctive chestnut collar and throat. Aerial insectivore, often foraging in mixed-species swift flocks over forests and highlands.