Glossy Swiftlet vs Linchi Swiftlet

Glossy Swiftlet

Collocalia esculenta

Tiny6 gForest

This bird is shiny black-blue above, including its rump; sometimes looks black and hooded. Chest black; belly to flanks white with fine black speckles at margins. Wing tips are rounded; underwing is black. Tail rounded with shallow notch and tiny white panels. It is so similar to the white-rumped swiftlet that both its upperparts and underparts must be seen to distinguish between the two. It is 9 to 11.5 cm (3.5 to 4.5 in) in length. Its voice is a soft twittering.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Thomas Brown · CC BY 2.0

Linchi Swiftlet

Collocalia linchi

Tiny6 gForest

This bird is shiny blackish-brown above with a greenish gloss, including its rump; sometimes looks black and hooded. Chest black; belly to flanks pale grey with fine black speckles at margins. Wing tips are rounded; underwing is black. Tail black, rounded with shallow notch but lacking the white specks found in the very similar glossy swiftlet (Collocalia esculenta). A distinguishing feature between the two species is that the glossy swiftlet has a tuft of feathers on its hind toe but the cave swiftlet has a naked toe. It is 9 to 11.5 cm (3.5 to 4.5 in) in length.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Jason Alexander · CC BY 4.0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Glossy Swiftlet and Linchi Swiftlet.