Bird Guide

House Swift vs White-rumped Swift

House Swift (Apus nipalensis)

House Swift

Apus nipalensis

Small30 gUrban

The house swift looks quite similar to the little swift. It is a small bird, but a medium-sized swift, with a wingspan of 12.5-14.5 cm. Its body size ranges from 14 to 16 cm and weighs approximately 20-35 g. This species has a dark, slightly forked tail. Other than the white rump band and white throat-patch, the house swift has a black plumage, darker than the little swift. Voice: House swifts make a ti-ti-ti-tititrrrrrr sound, among many others, as part of their vocal catalogues.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Opisska · CC0
White-rumped Swift (Apus caffer)

White-rumped Swift

Apus caffer

Small22 gShrubland

This 14–15.5 cm (5.5–6.1 in) long species has, like some relatives, a short forked tail and long swept-back wings that resemble a crescent or a boomerang. It is entirely dark except for a pale throat patch and a narrow white rump. It is similar to the closely related little swift, but is slimmer, darker and has a more forked tail and a narrower white rump. Voice: This is a quiet species compared to little swift, but a twittering trill is sometimes given.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Derek Keats from Johannesburg, South Africa · CC BY 2.0

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: House Swift and White-rumped Swift.