White-tipped Swift vs Pallid Swift

Aeronautes montivagus comparé à Apus pallidus

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribut White-tipped Swift Pallid Swift
Nom scientifique Aeronautes montivagus Apus pallidus
Ordre Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
Famille Apodidae Apodidae
Statut de conservation Least Concern Least Concern
Longueur
Envergure 23,0 cm (9.1 in) 33,4 cm (13.1 in)
Poids 20,21666666666667 g (0.71 oz) 42,25 g (1.49 oz)
Régime alimentaire Obligate aerial feeder on small insects and arachnids; catches prey in a wide gape during … Aerial insectivore foraging continuously in flight, taking tiny flies, beetles, and ballooning spiders.
Taille de la couvée 4-5 1-4
Population Trend
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Habitat Comparison

Habitats partagés

White-tipped Swift only

Pallid Swift only

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Song & Call Comparison

White-tipped Swift

Chant

High, pure whistle fading to sibilant ending; soft series of descending notes with slight wavering, rarely heard distinctly.

Pallid Swift

Chant

Melodic, rolling trill with rich timbre; sustained musical phrase with slight variations on repeated delivery at dusk.

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Geographic Range & Migration

White-tipped Swift

Found in the Andes and tepuis of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia at 500–3,000 m. Resident in montane rocky outcrops.

Pallid Swift

Breeds in the Mediterranean and North Africa east to Pakistan. Migratory; winters in sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia.

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Statut de conservation

Least Concern

White-tipped Swift

Least Concern

Pallid Swift

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How to Tell Them Apart

White-tipped Swift

Plumage

Dark blackish-brown; white throat and pale flanks; white tips to secondaries forming a white trailing-edge band on wing; smaller than White-throated Swift; Andean species distinguished by white-tipped secondary pattern.

Pallid Swift

Plumage

Medium-large; pale brownish-grey overall, distinctly paler than Common Swift; larger pale throat patch; wing coverts show pale scaly edges; Mediterranean and Middle Eastern species; pale sandy-brown tone separates it from …

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About These Birds

White-tipped Swift

A medium-sized swift (13-14 cm) found in montane regions from Mexico to Venezuela and Peru. Dark plumage with white tips on the outer tail feathers. Aerial insectivore, foraging over mountain slopes and cloud forests. Often seen in flocks along steep mountain ridges.

Pallid Swift

A medium-sized swift (16-17 cm) similar to Common Swift but paler, sandy-brown overall with a larger white throat patch. Found across southern Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Aerial insectivore. Long-distance migrant wintering in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

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