Himalayan Swiftlet vs Uniform Swiftlet

Himalayan Swiftlet

Aerodramus brevirostris

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This 13–14 cm long swiftlet has swept-back wings that resemble a crescent or a boomerang. The body is slender, and the tail is forked. It is, in many respects, a typical swift, having narrow wings for fast flight, and a wide gape and small beak surrounded by bristles for catching insects in flight. Its legs are very short, preventing the bird from perching, but allowing it to cling to vertical surfaces. It is mainly grey-brown above and paler brown below. It has a pale grey rump and a pale patch above and behind the bill. The sexes are similar, but the juvenile has a less distinct rump.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Dan Vickers · CC BY 4.0

Uniform Swiftlet

Aerodramus vanikorensis

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The uniform swiftlet is a gregarious, medium-sized swiftlet with a shallowly forked tail. It is about 13 cm long with a wingspan averaging around 27 cm. It weighs about 11 grams. The colouring is dark grey-brown, darker on the upperparts with paler underparts, especially on chin and throat. It is similar to, and most likely to be confused with, the white-rumped swiftlet or mountain swiftlet.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Lip Kee Yap from Singapore, Republic of Singapore · CC BY 2.0

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