Cook's Swift vs Alpine Swift
Apus cooki verglichen mit Tachymarptis melba
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Merkmal | Cook's Swift | Alpine Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Wissenschaftlicher Name | Apus cooki | Tachymarptis melba |
| Ordnung | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Familie | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Erhaltungsstatus | Not Evaluated | Least Concern |
| Länge | — | — |
| Flügelspannweite | — | 43,9 cm (17.3 in) |
| Gewicht | 42,949999999999996 g (1.52 oz) | 97,5 g (3.44 oz) |
| Ernährung | Catches aerial plankton — tiny midges, gnats, and ballooning spiders — continuously during soaring flight. | Aerial insectivore taking small flying insects and spiders; may forage at great heights following thermal … |
| Gelegegröße | -- | 1-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Song & Call Comparison
Cook's Swift
Bright, flute-like series of liquid notes; clear melodic phrase ascending slightly then resolving on a sustained pure tone.
Alpine Swift
Rapid series of short, clipped whistles; bright, clean notes delivered in quick succession with occasional doubled phrase.
Geographic Range & Migration
Cook's Swift
Found from southern Thailand through the Thai-Malay Peninsula to Sumatra, Borneo, and adjacent islands. Resident in lowland forest.
Alpine Swift
Breeds from southern Europe and North Africa east through Central Asia and the Himalayas to India. Migratory; winters in sub-Saharan Africa.
Erhaltungsstatus
Cook's Swift
Alpine Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Cook's Swift
Dark sooty-brown upperparts; white rump patch; pale white throat; dark underparts; deeply forked tail; recently split taxon from Pacific Swift complex; plumage essentially identical to close relatives, distinguished primarily by …
Alpine Swift
Large; dark brown upperparts; white throat patch separated from white belly by dark brown breast band; brown flanks; bold tricoloured underpart pattern; one of Europe's largest swifts with distinctive white …
About These Birds
Cook's Swift
A medium-sized swift (16-17 cm) found in montane forests from the Malay Peninsula through Southeast Asia to southern China. Dark plumage with a pale throat. Aerial insectivore. Named after Frederick Cook. Until recently considered conspecific with Pacific Swift.
Alpine Swift
A large swift (20-22 cm, wingspan 54-60 cm) with a white belly and throat contrasting with dark brown upperparts. Found from southern Europe and Africa to Central Asia. Aerial insectivore, foraging at great heights. Nests on cliff faces in large colonies. Powerful, fast flier.