Brown-backed Needletail vs White-collared Swift
Hirundapus giganteus comparado con Streptoprocne zonaris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Atributo | Brown-backed Needletail | White-collared Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Nombre científico | Hirundapus giganteus | Streptoprocne zonaris |
| Orden | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Familia | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Estado de conservación | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longitud | — | — |
| Envergadura | 40,6 cm (16.0 in) | 42,5 cm (16.7 in) |
| Peso | 145,0 g (5.11 oz) | 106,45 g (3.75 oz) |
| Dieta | Aerial insectivore feeding on tiny flies, beetles, and ballooning spiders in rapid powerful aerial pursuit. | Obligate aerial insectivore; gathers small flying insects, winged ants, and airborne spiders during flight. |
| Tamaño de la puesta | 3-5 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Brown-backed Needletail
Rough, buzzy chatter with intermittent higher squeaks; coarse twittering delivered continuously throughout aerial foraging.
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
Brown-backed Needletail
Found from India and Sri Lanka through Southeast Asia to Borneo and the Philippines. Resident in lowland and hill forest, soaring over ridges.
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
Brown-backed Needletail
White-collared Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Brown-backed Needletail
Very large; dark brown upperparts with bronze gloss; no pale back saddle unlike congeners; white throat patch; white undertail coverts; short spiny tail; largest Hirundapus; brown rather than black overall …
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
Brown-backed Needletail
El vencejo de aguja marrón es el vencejo más grande del mundo, con una envergadura de hasta 58 cm. Habita en el sur y sudeste de Asia, desde India hasta las islas del Pacífico. Tiene alas largas y estrechas, una garganta marrón oscura y una mancha en la rabadilla. Captura insectos y arañas al vuelo. Anida en grietas de acantilados. A menudo se observa en grandes altitudes, especialmente sobre las montañas.
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.