Species:

Alpine Swift (Tachymarptis melba)

Red Phalarope (Phalaropus fulicarius)

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Length (cm):
20-22
20-22
Wingspan (cm):
54-60
40-44
Weight (gram):
76-125
40-75
Size group:
Thrush-size
Thrush-size
Main Texts:
Appearance:

Only swift in the region with white underparts divided by breastband. Upperparts brown. Distinctly bigger than Swift, with robust build and powerful flight. Tail short with rather shallow fork. Wing-action slower than Swift, with each beat discernible. May give Hobby-like impression at a distance .

Sound:

Seldom heard except in breeding season. Call a long, hard, trilling note, reminiscent of Temminck's Stint . Also a short, cut-off pju pju pju used as alarm call.

Contact call:

Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file


Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

CC-sound:Fernand DEROUSSEN, Licence,Link.

Appearance:

Adult breeding birds unmistakable. White mask, warm rufous brown throat and underparts. Bill noticeably heavier than in Red-necked Phalarope in all plumages and and ages. Female more brightly coloured than male (reversed dimorphism). 1st winter birds differs from Red-necked in white fore-crown, while fresh juveniles have less contrasting markings on back. Both mentioned characters are often difficult, or impossible to use at a distance. With experience and practise, one can use the powerful flight and more stocky build as field marks.

Sound:

Flight-call a short and sharp, Coot-like "kit". Cleaner and higher pitched than Red-necked Phalarope. Display sound a rolling cooing, at stable pitch. Other calls: a hissing like the squeezing of a rubber duck, rising quickly in pitch and ending abruptly.

Contact calls:

Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file


Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

CC

CC-sounds,www.xeno-canto.org,Frank Lambert,http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Similar species (image):
Similar species (sound):
Silhouette Group:
Swallow-like
Silhouette
Waders
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Several different images of the species
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Several different sounds of the species