Short-tailed Swift vs White-collared Swift
Chaetura brachyura comparado con Streptoprocne zonaris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Atributo | Short-tailed Swift | White-collared Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Nombre científico | Chaetura brachyura | Streptoprocne zonaris |
| Orden | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Familia | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Estado de conservación | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longitud | — | — |
| Envergadura | 23,7 cm (9.3 in) | 42,5 cm (16.7 in) |
| Peso | 18,625 g (0.66 oz) | 106,45 g (3.75 oz) |
| Dieta | Feeds exclusively on aerial plankton — tiny flies, aphids, and spiders — captured in continuous … | Obligate aerial insectivore; gathers small flying insects, winged ants, and airborne spiders during flight. |
| Tamaño de la puesta | 2-7 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Short-tailed Swift
Harsh, screaming chatter with emphatic delivery; loud coarse notes erupting suddenly during competitive aerial encounters.
White-collared Swift
Loud, screaming 'shreee-shreee'; powerful screeching trill; calls from large flocks over mountains; very audible; one of the loudest Neotropical swifts; alarm a harsh rattle
Geographic Range & Migration
Short-tailed Swift
Found across South America east of the Andes, from Trinidad and the Guianas south to Bolivia and the Río de la Plata. Lowland forest.
White-collared Swift
Found from Mexico south through Central America to South America east of the Andes, reaching Bolivia and southern Brazil. Often in large flocks.
Estado de conservación
Short-tailed Swift
White-collared Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Short-tailed Swift
Small; dark sooty-brown upperparts; very pale whitish rump and tail contrasting sharply with dark body; underparts pale greyish; extremely short tail giving distinctive blunt-ended flight silhouette; widespread Trinidad to Argentina.
White-collared Swift
Large; glossy blue-black plumage with bold broad white collar encircling entire neck; collar clean and complete; underparts black; large slightly forked tail; among the most recognisable Neotropical swifts due to …
About These Birds
Short-tailed Swift
Vencejo de cola corta (Chaetura brachyura), 10–11 cm. Plumaje negro uniforme con rabadilla y cola grises pálidas. Cola extremadamente corta. Ampliamente distribuido en América tropical. Vuela velozmente capturando insectos. Nidifica en palmeras y árboles huecos. Emite gorjeos agudos en vuelo.
White-collared Swift
A very large swift (20-22 cm, wingspan 45-55 cm) with a bold white collar band, the largest New World swift. Found from Mexico to southern Brazil and the Caribbean. Aerial insectivore, foraging in large, noisy flocks over forests and cities. Nests behind waterfalls and in caves.