Pygmy Swiftlet vs Alpine Swift
Collocalia troglodytes comparé à Tachymarptis melba
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Pygmy Swiftlet | Alpine Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Collocalia troglodytes | Tachymarptis melba |
| Ordre | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Famille | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | — | — |
| Envergure | 18,6 cm (7.3 in) | 43,9 cm (17.3 in) |
| Poids | 5,55 g (0.20 oz) | 97,5 g (3.44 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Obligate aerial insectivore; catches minute flies, beetles, and aerial spiders while foraging near cave roosts. | Aerial insectivore taking small flying insects and spiders; may forage at great heights following thermal … |
| Taille de la couvée | -- | 1-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Pygmy Swiftlet
Extremely high, thin twittering; among highest-pitched calls of any bird; 'tseee-tseee' barely audible to adults; uses echolocation clicks in Philippine limestone caves
Alpine Swift
Rapid series of short, clipped whistles; bright, clean notes delivered in quick succession with occasional doubled phrase.
Geographic Range & Migration
Pygmy Swiftlet
Endemic to the Philippines, found on Mindanao and adjacent islands. Resident in lowland forest and coastal caves. One of the smallest swiftlets.
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
Pygmy Swiftlet
Alpine Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Pygmy Swiftlet
Tiny; dark blue-black upperparts with faint iridescence; white or pale buff rump band; underparts pale greyish-white; slightly forked tail; one of the smallest swiftlets in the Philippines; cave-nesting with pale …
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
Pygmy Swiftlet
The smallest swiftlet (9 cm), endemic to the Philippines. Dark grey-brown plumage. Aerial insectivore, foraging in small flocks over forest. Colonial cave nester. Despite being common, poorly studied due to the difficulty of distinguishing small, dark swiftlets in flight.
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.