Bird Guide

Chilean Swallow vs White-winged Swallow

Chilean Swallow (Tachycineta leucopyga)

Chilean Swallow

Tachycineta leucopyga

Tiny18 gGrassland

The Chilean swallow is about 13 centimetres (5.1 in) in length and weighs 15–20 grams (0.53–0.71 oz). It is glossy blue-black above and white below with a white rump. Its wings and tail are black, with white tips on its inner secondaries and its tertials. Their underwing coverts and auxiliaries are both grey. The Chilean swallow's bill and legs are black. The sexes are alike, and the juveniles are duller and browner. It is similar to the white-rumped swallow, but lacks the white forehead of that species and has bluer upperparts and grey underwing-coverts.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: ferferrari · CC0
White-winged Swallow (Tachycineta albiventer)

White-winged Swallow

Tachycineta albiventer

Small18 gRiverine

The adult white-winged swallow is 14 cm (5.5 in) long and weighs 14–17 g (0.49–0.60 oz). It has iridescent blue-green upperparts, white underparts and rump, and white edgings to the secondary flight feathers. The wings are otherwise black, along with the tail. It has dark brown eyes and a black bill and legs. The sexes are similar, although it is noted that the females have slightly less white on the wing. Juveniles have grayer underparts and are duller in general when compared to the adults. The juvenile also has less white on the wing.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the White-winged Swallow
Recorded by Niels Krabbe · Call, calls · Sucumbíos: 'La Selva Jungle Lodge', n bank Río Napo, Ecuador · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: http://www.birdphotos.com · CC BY 3.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Chilean Swallow and White-winged Swallow.