White-collared Swift vs Mottled Spinetail
Streptoprocne zonaris comparé à Telacanthura ussheri
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | White-collared Swift | Mottled Spinetail |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Streptoprocne zonaris | Telacanthura ussheri |
| Ordre | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Famille | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | — | — |
| Envergure | 42,5 cm (16.7 in) | 29,1 cm (11.5 in) |
| Poids | 106,45 g (3.75 oz) | 32,65 g (1.15 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Obligate aerial insectivore; gathers small flying insects, winged ants, and airborne spiders during flight. | Aerial diet of small flying insects and spiders; forages at speed over forest and open … |
| Taille de la couvée | 2 | 4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
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
Mottled Spinetail
Harsh, grating screech followed by rapid chattering; loud, raspy trill repeated insistently near colony roost sites.
Geographic Range & Migration
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.
Mottled Spinetail
Found across sub-Saharan Africa from Gambia east to Ethiopia and south to Zambia. Resident in forest, forest edge, and savanna woodland.
Statut de conservation
White-collared Swift
Mottled Spinetail
How to Tell Them Apart
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 …
Mottled Spinetail
Large spinetail; dark blackish-brown upperparts; white-mottled pale greyish underparts creating distinctively spotted belly; white rump band; spiny tail tips; African forest species with unique mottled underpart pattern among spinetails.
About These Birds
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.
Mottled Spinetail
A medium-sized spinetail swift (14-15 cm) found in tropical forests across sub-Saharan Africa. Dark plumage with white mottling on the throat and belly. Spine-tipped tail for clinging to vertical surfaces. Aerial insectivore. Nests inside hollow trees and palm trunks.