Grey-rumped Swiftlet vs Plume-toed Swiftlet

Grey-rumped Swiftlet

Collocalia marginata

6 gForest

The grey-rumped swiftlet is 9–10 cm (3.5–3.9 in) in length with a square tail. The back and upper surface of the wings are dull dark blue with a moderate green gloss. The rump is paler due to the white margins of feathers forming the uppertail coverts. The throat and upper breast are grey with fine white scalloping merging into larger greyish chevrons over the lower breast and flanks, becoming white over the belly. There is sometimes a tuft of small feathers on the hallux, the rear facing toe.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Forest Botial-Jarvis · CC BY 4.0

Plume-toed Swiftlet

Collocalia affinis

6 gForest

The plume-toed swiftlet is 9–10 cm (3.5–3.9 in) in length with a square tail. The back and upper surface of the wings are uniformly dark greenish-blue with a moderate gloss. The throat and upper breast are dark grey merging into large greyish chevrons over the lower breast and flanks, usually becoming white over the belly. There is a tuft of small feathers on the hallux, the rear facing toe. This species lacks a pale contrasting rump and has no white spots on the inner webs of the tail feathers.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Kalvin Chan · CC BY 4.0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Grey-rumped Swiftlet and Plume-toed Swiftlet.