Linchi Swiftlet vs Plume-toed Swiftlet

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

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: Linchi Swiftlet and Plume-toed Swiftlet.