White-tipped Swift vs Alpine Swift
Aeronautes montivagus comparé à Tachymarptis melba
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | White-tipped Swift | Alpine Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Aeronautes montivagus | Tachymarptis melba |
| Ordre | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Famille | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | — | — |
| Envergure | 23,0 cm (9.1 in) | 43,9 cm (17.3 in) |
| Poids | 20,21666666666667 g (0.71 oz) | 97,5 g (3.44 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Obligate aerial feeder on small insects and arachnids; catches prey in a wide gape during … | Aerial insectivore taking small flying insects and spiders; may forage at great heights following thermal … |
| Taille de la couvée | 4-5 | 1-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
White-tipped Swift
High, pure whistle fading to sibilant ending; soft series of descending notes with slight wavering, rarely heard distinctly.
Alpine Swift
Rapid series of short, clipped whistles; bright, clean notes delivered in quick succession with occasional doubled phrase.
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.
Alpine Swift
Breeds from southern Europe and North Africa east through Central Asia and the Himalayas to India. Migratory; winters in sub-Saharan Africa.
Statut de conservation
White-tipped Swift
Alpine Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
White-tipped Swift
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.
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
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.
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.