Chestnut-collared Swift vs Mottled Spinetail
Streptoprocne rutila compared with Telacanthura ussheri
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Chestnut-collared Swift | Mottled Spinetail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Streptoprocne rutila | Telacanthura ussheri |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 26.0 cm (10.2 in) | 29.1 cm (11.5 in) |
| Weight | 21.8 g (0.77 oz) | 32.65 g (1.15 oz) |
| Diet | Entirely airborne feeder on tiny flies, gnats, and airborne arachnids; one of the most aerial … | Aerial diet of small flying insects and spiders; forages at speed over forest and open … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
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
Mottled Spinetail
Harsh, grating screech followed by rapid chattering; loud, raspy trill repeated insistently near colony roost sites.
Geographic Range & Migration
Chestnut-collared Swift
Found from Mexico and the Caribbean south through Central America and South America to Argentina. Resident in highlands near mountain cliffs.
Mottled Spinetail
Found across sub-Saharan Africa from Gambia east to Ethiopia and south to Zambia. Resident in forest, forest edge, and savanna woodland.
Conservation Status
Chestnut-collared Swift
Mottled Spinetail
How to Tell Them Apart
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 …
Mottled Spinetail
Large spinetail; dark blackish-brown upperparts; white-mottled pale greyish underparts creating distinctively spotted belly; white rump band; spiny tail tips; African forest species with unique mottled underpart pattern among spinetails.
About These Birds
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.
Mottled Spinetail
A medium-sized spinetail swift (14-15 cm) found in tropical forests across sub-Saharan Africa. Dark plumage with white mottling on the throat and belly. Spine-tipped tail for clinging to vertical surfaces. Aerial insectivore. Nests inside hollow trees and palm trunks.