Great Swallow-tailed Swift vs Alpine Swift

Panyptila sanctihieronymi comparado con Tachymarptis melba

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Atributo Great Swallow-tailed Swift Alpine Swift
Nombre científico Panyptila sanctihieronymi Tachymarptis melba
Orden Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
Familia Apodidae Apodidae
Estado de conservación Least Concern Least Concern
Longitud
Envergadura 36,8 cm (14.5 in) 43,9 cm (17.3 in)
Peso 48,416666666666664 g (1.71 oz) 97,5 g (3.44 oz)
Dieta 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 …
Tamaño de la puesta 2-3 1-4
Population Trend
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Habitat Comparison

Hábitats compartidos

Ninguno

Great Swallow-tailed Swift only

Alpine Swift only

Ninguno

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Song & Call Comparison

Great Swallow-tailed Swift

Canto

Soft, rippling trill with liquid overtones; easy flowing sequence of mellow notes carrying pleasantly across open sky.

Alpine Swift

Canto

Rapid series of short, clipped whistles; bright, clean notes delivered in quick succession with occasional doubled phrase.

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Geographic Range & Migration

Great Swallow-tailed Swift

Found from southern Mexico through Guatemala, Honduras, to Costa Rica. Resident in humid highland forest at 600–2,000 m elevation.

Alpine Swift

Breeds from southern Europe and North Africa east through Central Asia and the Himalayas to India. Migratory; winters in sub-Saharan Africa.

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Estado de conservación

Least Concern

Great Swallow-tailed Swift

Least Concern

Alpine Swift

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How to Tell Them Apart

Great Swallow-tailed Swift

Plumaje

Black upperparts with white throat and white flanks; bold white rump patch; extremely long deeply forked tail with white outer feather edges; Central American species with the most spectacular forked …

Alpine Swift

Plumaje

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 …

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About These Birds

Great Swallow-tailed Swift

A large swift (18-20 cm) with an extremely long, deeply forked tail. Dark plumage with a white throat and collar. Found in highland forests from southern Mexico to Honduras. Aerial insectivore, foraging over mountain canyons and pine-oak forests. Uncommon and rarely observed.

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.

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